Devta against setting up of Karcham Wangtoo project

Shimla, Dec 5 (UNI) A local deity in Kinnuar district of Himachal Pradesh has directed the villagers to continue with their protest against the setting up of the 1,000 MW Karcham Wangtoo hydel project in the district.

The work at the construction site that had resumed on November 21 had been stalled once again after Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh failed to appear before Maheshwarji Devta who then directed the villagers to continue with their agitation.

On November 27, the local deity then summoned the local MLA who expressed his inability to stall the construction work, while promising to return with the chief minister's reply on the issue by November four.

After the local MLA informed the devta yesterday that the construction work on the project would not be stalled, it directed the villagers to continue with their agitation against the project.

Three groups of about 150 people each today decided to sit on an indefinite dharna against the setting up of the project, a spokesman for the agitating villagers told UNI over the telephone from Rekong Peo.

Former IAS R S Negi alleged that the district administration has deployed additional force in the area to terrorise the locals and resume the work by using force.

He said besides violating several constitutional and ecological safeguards, the advice of the local devtas was also being ignored by the state government, adding that this would have devastating consequences.

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