After dark high intensity blasts lead to complaints against Shiga Energy

MEANWHILE, 2 ARRESTED ON CHARGES FOR DAMAGING TUNNELING EQUIPMENT AT TASHIDING HEP SITE

GANGTOK, 17 Jan: West District police have arrested two persons on charges of attempting to burn down machinery and vehicles belonging to a power developer at Tashiding in West Sikkim. The police action was initiated after a complaint was lodged by Shiga Energy Projects, engaged in tunneling works at the Tashiding HEP, after their property was allegedly attacked by persons said to be belonging to the association called “Save Sikkim” which has been lobbying for the scrapping of three hydel projects in West Sikkim - Tashiding, Lethang and Ting Ting hydro electric projects. The duo - Yapchung Bhutia and Prabhu Ram Chettri, both from Sakyong village - was arrested by the Gyalshing police today, both informed to be of Sakyong. Another accused, Milan Subba, is yet to be apprehended.
At the same time it has also been learnt that the three had also approached the SP and the DC, West, a few days ago with complaints regarding the tunneling works being undertaken by Shiga Energy.
The three are alleged to have trespassed into the tunnels at the Tashiding project site, namely Adits II and III, on the night of 15 January. This, the complaint against them states, they did twice, once at 4:30 pm and then again at around 11:30 pm the same night. They are then alleged to have proceeded to damage equipment belonging to Shiga Energy Projects and in the process three heavy vehicles of the company were damaged along with machinery which includes a boomer and a compressor used in tunneling works.
Police source add that the trio is also accused of having set fire to the vehicles and machinery, but that this was quickly doused by the security personnel engaged at the project site. The security personnel, it is reported, identified the 3 as belonging to Sakyong village which lies above the construction site.
Interestingly, police also informed that it was this same group which had approached them with complaints against Shiga a few days ago with regard to blasting works being carried out at night. In fact blasting works at the tunnel are undertaken throughout the day and night as well. However night time blasting is said to have caused much disturbance and apprehension among the people, especially at Sakyong.
The police, at that time, had directed the youth to approach the licensing authority [which issues permission for undertaking blasting works] with their complaint. The licensing authority is the DC. It has been learnt that the DC was also approached by the youth with their complaint a few days ago; the complaints informed of night time blasting which was said to be causing much disturbance and also alleged extremely high intensity blasting being resorted to by the company.
In this connection, the DC West, S Pradhan, is informed to have intimated the company on both matters and in fact, it is reported that the DC directed the company to stop using explosives at night which the company is said to have agreed to.
On the matter of high intensity of the blasts, it was suggested that a representative of the village as well as from the police be present at the construction site when blasting is underway.
These matters were under consideration when the above mentioned incident took place leading to the arrest of 2 persons for criminal trespass and mischief.