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Saturday, August 2, 2014

Area MLA directs Dikchu HEP developers to work in coordination with affected people

DIKCHU, 01 Aug: A meeting was convened in the office of Tourism Minister Ugen T Gyatso Bhutia in Gangtok on 30 July to discuss the difficulties being faced by the hydel project affected people of Dikchu and Lower Rakdong area on the left bank of the 96 MW Dikchu Hydel Power Project being developed by Sneha Kinetic Power Project Ltd [SKPPL]. The Minister is also Tumin-Lingee constituency, under which the affected areas fall, MLA.
The meeting was attended by Panchayat President, BB Gurung, representatives of SKPPL headed by CEO, PM Nanda, Director, D Prasad, AGM Tilak Raj Sharma, Ward Panchayat Tika Devi Nepal, Panchayat Secretary Tika Maya Pandey, Project Coordinator Jigmee Tongden Lepcha, representative of the local youth Nesh Lall Gurung and other affected people.
During the meeting, Panchayat President, BB Gurung highlighted that the project developers have not fulfilled commitments made as per the earlier agenda, MoU and promises made in the meeting with the local affected people before commencing the project.
He further stated that no permanent protective work is being undertaken by the company at the project site for the protection of public land and property due to which private land holdings and houses in the area have incurred damages.
Mr. Gurung also highlighted that the East District Administration had directed the company to undertake immediate protection work during the month of December 2012 following a survey conducted by the SDM Gangtok but the project developer has turned a deaf ear to the directions and the said protection work has not been even started so far.
The youth representative, Nesh Lall Gurung accused the project developer of careless work and informed that all the civil works are being sublet to sub-contractor Drillcon Pvt. Ltd. without the knowledge of the affected people or land owners.
He further informed about the many bills related to contractual work and other supply work that are pending and have not yet been paid by the company. He also added that no CSR activities have been done in the project affected areas except one medical camp so far.
The Minister then directed the project developer to work in coordination with the affected people and further stated that the protection work should be immediately carried out in the project affected area from Dikchu Bridge to Ropeway. He also directed that the contractual work should be awarded to local affected people and further directed that any contractual work should be brought to the knowledge of the affected people. He further directed the project developer to clear all the pending bills as soon as possible.
The SKPPL in turn assured that the protection work will be started immediately after this monsoon and all the work will be undertaken in coordination with the local affected people, panchayats and the area MLA.

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