Compensation to power project victims mandatory: Shinde

Itanagar, Sep 21 (UNI) Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said compensation to those affected through the commissioning of hydro electric power projects was mandatory as per the National Rehabilitation Policy.

The minister was addressing mediapersons on the sideline of an MoU signing ceremony between Arunachal Pradesh government and three power giants--National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC), North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) and National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) here.

He said the Centre had already made certain changes in its rehabilitation policy and accordingly the people, whose houses would be submerged during commissioning of a hydro power project, would be compensated by building them new houses.

''Everybody will be paid for their losses,'' he added. He further said since most of the projects in Arunachal would be run-of-river, there would be less chances of submergence. However, whatever damages occur would be adequately compensated, he said. On the feasibility of power projects in an earthquake-prone state like Arunachal, he clarified that all factors would be looked after and necessary precautionary measures would be taken. Asked about the dispute between Asom and Arunachal over the execution of the 2000 mw Lower Subansiri project at Gerukamukh in Lower Subansiri district by NHPC, Mr Shinde said the issue would be resolved amicably between the two Congress-ruled states.

''We are going to convene a meeting between the chief ministers of both the states soon to settle the issue,'' he added. Asked whether there are possibilities of cost-overrun and time escalation for the projects to be commissioned, he said, ''Concept of construction technology and monitoring mechanism have drastically changed in recent times and question of cost overrun and escalation of time do not arise.'' UNI UPB PL SK KN1621