50% of affected landowners show up for Stage-IV public hearing

WANGCHUK BHUTIA
NAMPRIKDANG, 29 March: The public hearing for the 520 MW Teesta Stage-IV hydel project proposed to be developed by NHPC in North Sikkim was held today here at Namprikdang ground in Upper Dzongu. Around 50% of the affected landowners turned up for the public hearing conducted by the State Pollution Control Board represented by member secretary CS Pradhan, and chaired by DC North, TN Kazi who is also the ex officio chairman of the Public Hearing Panel. Although affected land-owners from all GPUs where land will be acquired for the project turned up today, the participation from Dzongu on the right bank of the Teesta was very low. Two GPUs of Dzongu will be affected by the project - Hee-Gyathang GPU [which has seven wards] and Lum-Gor-Sangtok GPU which has five wards.
Rounding up the public hearing, the DC commented that there appears to have been some misconceptions about what attending a public hearing entails. “It appears that some people were under the wrong impression that attending the public hearing means that NHPC can take their land for the project. It is not so, and the affected people should know that this is the forum for them to clear their doubts and place their demands,” he said.
A total of 250 land owners will be affected by Teesta Stage-IV.
The DC also informed that the public hearing’s verdict was not final yet and explained that the SPCB will now prepare a report on it including the minutes of the hearing and send it to the next authority for clearance.
On the issues and demands raised by the people, he expressed hope that NHPC would work responsibly and keep the people’s sentiments paramount.  He also congratulated NHPC and the people at the public hearing for the peaceful conduction of the public hearing today.
Earlier, the public hearing had started with a welcome address by BK Chettri, Senior Scientific Officer, SPCB.
Next, the NHPC Chief Engineer for Teesta Stage-IV, AK Choudhary, highlighted the salient features of the detailed report prepared by NHPC about the developmental initiatives proposed as part of the Relief and Rehabilitation plan for the project. [see box for details].
The chief engineer further informed that as per present projections, the State government, which is to receive 14.19% of the power generated free, the State exchequer stands to earn Rs. 121.5 crore per annum from the sale of its share of free electricity.
He also announced that BPL families in the affected area will be provided with free electricity connections.
Regarding the employment in the project, the Chief Engineer announced that 50% of the jobs in Grade-III and IV and that 25% of the positions at the executive level would be reserved for locals with preference in all these to be given to land oustees and affected people.  Apart from these, the NHPC will also develop schools and dispensaries in the affected area and assist in upgradation of roads.
Landowners from all affected GPUs: Thingchim-Mangshila, Mangan, Namok-Swayem, Ringhim-Nampatam, Hee-Gyathang and Lum/Gor/Sangtok, attended the meeting, although, as mentioned, only 50% of the affected landowners turned up, with the representation from Dzongu extremely low. It might be recalled that the Affected Citizens of Teesta had called for a boycott of the public hearing and announced that none of its members, affected by the said project, would attend the hearing or give up their lands for it. The Dzongu MLA, Sonam Gyatso Lepcha, who also holds the Power & Energy portfolio has also been critical of NHPC’s delivery on commitments vis a vis Teesta Stage-V.
The landowners placed their respective demands at the public hearing and raised various queries about the project and sought clearer explanation of the benefits assured by the NHPC for the region. Primary among the demands was substantially higher rates of land compensation.
Dugey Bhutia, an affected landowner from Thingchim-Mangshila, raised this issue and informed that the land owners were not satisfied with the notified rate of Rs. 18 per sq ft announced in the year 2006 for the project and demanded that this be revised.
CT Kazi, an affected landowner representing the Left Bank Teesta Stage-IV steering committee, enumerated the price that the affected people were looking at. He specified that land acquisition should be done at Rs. 200 per square feet, development of Mangan Bazaar promised and that NHPC should undertake to reconstruct Ringhim Gumpa in Mangan which was devastated by the 18 September earthquake.
Both speakers welcomed NHPC to the project and underlined that they were neither against the project nor the Government and were only seeking that all their demands were fulfilled.
Similarly, Pemchung Lepcha from Tareng village under Lum/Gor/Sangtok GPU, speaking on behalf of affected families from his area, demanded that at least one member from each land oustee family  be given employment with NHPC compulsorily and seconded the demand for an enhance compensation rate.
Panchayat President Kado Lepcha, in turn demanded insurance cover for affected families by NHPC and sought that all locals working at the Forest Nursery be given employment.
Likewise, local employment should be ensured at the PHCs, schools etc. which the NHPC proposes to develop in the affected area, demanded RB Limboo from Mangshila.
Dawa Bhutia, an affected landowner from Thingchim, argued that inflation has hit everyone hard and hence land compensation should be adequately handsome. He also demanded that NHPC should not “lock” away the lands procured by it and allow access to the people.
The queries raised by the landowners were addressed phase-wise by Lendup Lepcha (Manager, NHPC).  Regarding the land acquisition rate, he assured that this would be reworked to the satisfaction of the landowners in consultation with the Land Revenue Department. He also assured that NHPC would do its utmost to meet all the demands raised by the people today.
The Rs. 3,594.74 crore Teesta Stage-IV is proposed over river Teesta. The Memorandum of Understanding for the said project was signed between NHPC and the State Government on 01 March 2006. The project is scheduled for completion in 74 months from the date of CCEA approval.
Also present for the public hearing today were AP Giri, Secretary Power Deptt, Dhiman Parija, Executive Director NHPC, D Chattopadhya, Chief Engineer Incharge NHPC, officials from various departments, NHPC officials and landowners.