Agitation over Karcham-Wangtoo hydel project uncalled for: Admn

Shimla, Dec 17 (UNI) The Kinnaur district administration today stated that the agitation of the locals over the construction of 1000 MW Karcham-Wangtoo hydel project on the Satluj river was uncalled for as the villagers, whose properties were acquired for the construction of the tunnel at the site, had been compensated.

''There were a few people with vested interests who instigated the locals to agitate and obstruct the construction work,'' Kinnaur Deputy Commissioner B R Verma and the Superintendent of Police Arvind Sharda claimed before the media today.

While showing the map of the construction sites, Mr Verma said the people of Chagaon, Yulu, Urni and Miru villages were agitating and trying to halt the construction work.

''However, the fact is that all these villages fall around one and half km away from the construction site and will in no way get affected'', he said. The residents of Tapir village, through which the tunnel will cross, have no objection, he said.

He said currently the construction work on diversion of the tunnel was going around Baltrang village, but the residents there too had no objection.

Mr Verma said as far as environmental concerns of the area were concerned, a team of the Central Mining Research Institute, Dhanbad was regularly monitoring the seismic condition of the area.

''There will be submergence of around 781 bighas of land due to this project and no village will be submerged in it'', he added. So far, the project construction company had acquired only 35 bighas of land and around Rs 2 crore had been distributed as compensation to the affected people, Mr Verma said.

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