WANGCHUK BHUTIA
DIKCHU, 16 Feb: The Gangtok SDM, Dr. AB Karki, today visited Dipudara, a village near Singtam, perched directly above the Teesta hydel project Stage-V powerhouse, and one which has been imperilled by the NHPC project. [click here for detailed report on the people's complaint] Ever since the project was commissioned about three years ago, the villagers here have been complaining of seepage from the Head Race Tunnel which has rendered their land unstable.
The SDM was accompanied by the ward panchayat NK Rai and shown around by the affected villagers.
The SDM visited the site from where seepage from the head race tunnel is perceptible and inspected houses which have developed cracks and also visited the Lhazang Khola area where the seepage is continuous and the most persistent.
The affected villagers informed the SDM that the NHPC had assured to carry out restoration and repairs and committed itself to resolving the problem within three months. That was in December 2009!
The problem remains and for all the crores spent on “grouting” works, the seepage has not been plugged yet.
Dipudara, as mentioned, is situated directly above the Stage V power house, and is a cluster of 17 houses. The affected villagers here informed that their land has been rendered unstable and their habitations and prospects of putting their landholdings to better use obstructed. They have demanded that the land, since it has been effectively made useless for them, be acquired by the NHPC and the affected families adequately compensated.
They have thumbed down further assurances by the NHPC, arguing that the uncertainty they have suffered for the past more than two years has left them with no faith in NHPC’s claims of engineering a durable solution.
The SDM, in turn, informed that a report will be submitted to District Magistrate (East) tomorrow and a meeting called between the DC and the villagers to discuss the issue. The SDM also informed that a survey team will be despatched from the administration with the representation of a Revenue Officer and Amin to tabulate the damages suffered. This process, he assured, will be completed before the monsoons begin.
DIKCHU, 16 Feb: The Gangtok SDM, Dr. AB Karki, today visited Dipudara, a village near Singtam, perched directly above the Teesta hydel project Stage-V powerhouse, and one which has been imperilled by the NHPC project. [click here for detailed report on the people's complaint] Ever since the project was commissioned about three years ago, the villagers here have been complaining of seepage from the Head Race Tunnel which has rendered their land unstable.
The SDM was accompanied by the ward panchayat NK Rai and shown around by the affected villagers.
The SDM visited the site from where seepage from the head race tunnel is perceptible and inspected houses which have developed cracks and also visited the Lhazang Khola area where the seepage is continuous and the most persistent.
The affected villagers informed the SDM that the NHPC had assured to carry out restoration and repairs and committed itself to resolving the problem within three months. That was in December 2009!
The problem remains and for all the crores spent on “grouting” works, the seepage has not been plugged yet.
Dipudara, as mentioned, is situated directly above the Stage V power house, and is a cluster of 17 houses. The affected villagers here informed that their land has been rendered unstable and their habitations and prospects of putting their landholdings to better use obstructed. They have demanded that the land, since it has been effectively made useless for them, be acquired by the NHPC and the affected families adequately compensated.
They have thumbed down further assurances by the NHPC, arguing that the uncertainty they have suffered for the past more than two years has left them with no faith in NHPC’s claims of engineering a durable solution.
The SDM, in turn, informed that a report will be submitted to District Magistrate (East) tomorrow and a meeting called between the DC and the villagers to discuss the issue. The SDM also informed that a survey team will be despatched from the administration with the representation of a Revenue Officer and Amin to tabulate the damages suffered. This process, he assured, will be completed before the monsoons begin.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Readers are invited to comment on, criticise, run down, even appreciate if they like something in this blog. Comments carrying abusive/ indecorous language and personal attacks, except when against the people working on this blog, will be deleted. It will be exciting for all to enjoy some earnest debates on this blog...