Bangladesh owes Tripura Rs 200 crore in unpaid electricity dues, Chief Minister Manik Saha said on Monday, reported PTI.
Saha, however, clarified that no decision had been taken yet on halting power supply to the neighbouring country.
“The outstanding [amount] is increasing every day,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader told PTI. “We hope that they will clear their dues so that the power supply is not disrupted.”
Tripura supplies 60-70 megawatts of power to Bangladesh according to a 2016 agreement signed between the state’s electricity board and the Bangladesh Power Development Board.
Saha said that the agreement was signed “out of gratitude” as key machinery for the power plant was transported either through Bangladeshi territory or via the Chittagong port.
His statement comes less than two months after the Adani Group warned Bangladesh that it would completely suspend power supply to the country over unpaid dues. The conglomerate had reportedly also cut its electricity supply to Bangladesh by half.
According to Reuters, Bangladesh buys power from Adani’s Godda coal power plant at a price that is nearly 27% higher than the rate charged by India’s other private producers.
Saha also said that there had been no major influx of refugees into Tripura following the recent unrest in Bangladesh, prompted by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s ouster.
The chief minister also said that strict action would be taken in response to the security breach at the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission in Agartala that occurred three weeks ago.
A group of protestors had vandalised the diplomatic outpost on December 2. The mob allegedly breached security barricades, pulled down the national flag of Bangladesh and damaged items before being stopped by security officials.
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With millions due to Adani Power, Bangladesh struggles with green energy shift
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