Complete project on time: Khandu to NEEPCO

From our correspondent

Itagar, March 11: Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu has directed the authorities of North Eastern Electrical Power Corporation (NEEPCO) to speed up the construction work of the 110 MW Pare hydro project and abide by the schedule for trial spinning of the turbines by end of this month and commissioning of the same.

Khandu along with Deputy Chief Minister Chow Mein, Speaker T N Thongdok, Deputy Speaker Tumke Bagra, Power Minister Tamiyo Taga and a host of ministers and legislators visited the project site at Jampa and Sopo, on Saturday, to take stock of the progress of the much-awaited hydro project of the State.

According to the NEEPCO officials, the project that started in 2010 was scheduled to be completed by August 2012, but was revised to December 2017. However, due to construction of the Trans-Aruchal Highway, the heavy machineries required for the project could not reach the project site. This caused further delay in its completion, the officials added.

The Chief Minister, however, assured of its completion for commissioning by March 31 next, despite the fact that it will take a few more months to generate power to its fullest capacity.

Khandu and his team first visited the dam-site at Jampa where the work is being carried out in full swing. The concrete gravity dam on River Dikrong stands 63 meters high and 134.257 meter long. The run-of-the-river project will have its power house at Sopo, which is 3 kms downstream of Jampa. The tunnel bringing water from the dam storage is of 1.029 kms. Later, the team visited the turbine area of the power house at Sopo.

Khandu assured of cooperation to NEEPCO with regards to local logistics and administrative issues for commissioning of the project on time.

Khandu said the 2 per cent free power - 1 from the State share and 1 from the project developer - will be utilized for the development of local areas.

Khandu also laid the foundation of a bridge over Dikrong that will connect Sopo with Lekhi village on the right-bank. He also assured of funds for the construction of the bridge which will also be shared by NEEPCO as part of its CSR programme.