Power projects in Arunachal facing public outcry

Itanagar, June 23: Arunachal Pradesh government efforts to tap state's huge hydro power potentials by inviting central public sector undertakings (CPSUs) and private power developers for commissioning power projects were facing tremendous opposition from various quarters.

While former power minister Lijum Ronya has demanded cancellation of all memorandum of agreements (MoAs) on hydel projects, the Idu Mishmi community members have decided not to part with their land for proposed power projects in their area.

In a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Mr Ronya said that MoAs signed between private companies including M/S Reliance Energy and the state government in February 2006 for execution of hydel projects in Siang basin had violated the constitutional provisions which protect the tribal people in preserving their old-age customs and tradition.

Moreover, the MoAs did not give any gurantee for life and properties of tribal people in case of disaster due to defective construction of dams, the memorandum claimed.

Protesting government decision to construct 3000mw Dibang Multipurpose and other projects in Dibang Valley, Idu Mishmi community under the banner of Idu Welfare Society (IWS) in an open meeting decided to opposed the projects fearing natural disaster once the top soils removed from mountain tops. The proposal of mega dams and hydro projects in the Dibang basin was a direct threat to the existence of about 7000 indigenous population and a vicious policy to destroy cultural heritage and traditional livelihood, the IWS claimed in a statement.

On the other hand, the All Idu Mishmi Students' Union (AIMSU) has resolved to derecognise the recently formed Dibang Basin Welfare Committee with immediate effect while dubbing it as a pro-dam' unit comprising elected representatives of the region. The union claimed that the members of the committee have taken a firm stand favouring construction of the dam without realizing the wishes of the project affected people. The union also doubted the integrity of the constituent members of the committee led by the MLAs of the area.

"As the government is the proponent of the dam, the involvement of MLAs in a committee for the people raising questions on the dam raises our doubts," it said.

Meanwhile,the mandatory public hearing on the Dibang Multipurpose Project scheduled for June 30 and July 3 next respectively at Roing and New Anaya has been postponed till further notice by State Pollution Control Board in view of communication bottlenecks caused due to incessant rainfall in the last couple of weeks. Protesting the reported signing of MoA with Delhi based K S K power company to execute 125 mw Dibbin hydel project over river Bichom in West Kameng district, the locals demanded the state government to reject the MoA and award the project to North East Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO), which had already carried out ground work including preparation of pre-feasibility report and detailed project report in consultation with local people.

The NEEPCO has a good first hand knowledge of the area as it has been executing such mega projects at Bichom, Kimi, Khuppi and Tenga dam in the district, the meeting that held yesterday, chaired by Lok Sabha MP Kiren Rijiju, observed.

Meanwhile, Raga MLA Nido Pavitra and his Likabali counterpart Jomde Kena in a letter have appealed to the union environment and forest minister to take initiative to convene the meeting of wildlife board to modify the certain clauses of the laid down conditions, which could not be implemented in this tribal state while executing 2000mw Lower Subansiri project at Gerukamukh.

Claiming that the Supreme Court, while hearing a petition filed by the state government against some conditions of the wildlife board, had directed the standing committee of National Board for Wildlife to consider waiving or modification of conditions, both the MLAs said that wildlife board meeting could not be convened for proper hearing on the conditions due to various reasons which ultimately caused delay in signing of memorandum of understanding between the state government and National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) on the project.

Stating that people of the state wanted early completion of Subansiri Lower and other projects in the upstream of Subansiri river basin, Pavitra and Kena also criticized some NGOs and environmentalists who are opposing hydel projects in the state without understanding the ground realities.

UNI