NEW DELHI: The Central Information Commission has refused to direct state-owned NHPC to disclose details of its on-going negotiations with the Jammu & Kashmir government for handing over of seven hydroelectric projects in the state.
The apex transparency body agreed with NHPC's contention that it was exempted from providing the information under clauses of "commercial confidence" and "third party" of section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act. The order came on an RTI application by activist Venkatesh Nayak, who sought details of the communication exchanged between the Centre and state regarding the 'buyback' of hydro power projects, feasibility of the proposal and the file-notings.
"The J&K government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Centre in the year 2000. It states that seven hydro electric projects in the state would be transferred to NHPC Limited for a period of 10 years for funding, execution and operation," said Nayak, adding that both the Centre and state had agreed in the MoU that they would work out a mutually acceptable methodology for handing over these projects back to the state at the end of the period.
The apex transparency body agreed with NHPC's contention that it was exempted from providing the information under clauses of "commercial confidence" and "third party" of section 8(1)(d) of the RTI Act. The order came on an RTI application by activist Venkatesh Nayak, who sought details of the communication exchanged between the Centre and state regarding the 'buyback' of hydro power projects, feasibility of the proposal and the file-notings.
"The J&K government had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Centre in the year 2000. It states that seven hydro electric projects in the state would be transferred to NHPC Limited for a period of 10 years for funding, execution and operation," said Nayak, adding that both the Centre and state had agreed in the MoU that they would work out a mutually acceptable methodology for handing over these projects back to the state at the end of the period.
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