Khandu inaugurates power project in Tawang

Our Correspondent

Itanagar, June 26: The erratic power supply to several villages under Mukto constituency in Tawang district of Arunachal Pradesh has been resolved with Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Monday inaugurating the 6 MW Shaikangchu small hydro electric project (SHEP) at Gongkhar village in presence of Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju.

The Chief Minister while dedicating the project said it was the biggest project undertaken by department of hydropower in the state and congratulated the officials for successfully completing the project, an official communiqué informed. “The hydel will supply electricity to 27 villages around Mukto circle and power surplus generated will be supplied to Tawang headquarters,” Khandu said.

He said the completion of Shaikangchu SHEP marks the culmination of an initiative that started in 2007 by former chief minister Dorjee Khandu to make Tawang a power surplus district. “Tawang today has 14 numbers of hydel stations with total installed capacity of 11.41 MW developed by hydropower department. With commissioning of Shaikangchu SHEP, the power generating capacity will be enhanced to 17.41MW,” the chief minister pointed out.

Khandu said the development of small hydroelectric project would benefit underdeveloped rural areas by improving their living condition and further added that Shaikangchu project would generated revenue of Rs 8 crore annually. The chief minister during the day also inaugurated the 50 metre span built-up Girder bridge over Tawang-Chu river, which is also known as Gongkhar to Tengthen bridge that would provide alternate connectivity between Tawang and Jang-Mukto constituencies. Rural Works Department executed the construction of the bridge at a cost of Rs 2.14 crore. Khandu also laid the foundation stone for Phadampa Phodrang at Lhou village in the district.

The Phodrang (temple) in Monpa dialect is dedicated to 10th century Buddhist Monk from South India – Phadampa Sangye, who had travelled to Tibet through Lhou village. The Chief Minister during the day also dedicated the district’s second VKV School at Mukto village. Speaking on the occasion, Khandu said the newly inaugurated school at Mukto village was earlier a government higher secondary school that has been handed over to Vivekananda Kendra to run as VKV School. He said the state government has passed a resolution in the cabinet allowing the private NGOs and missionaries working on education sector to be invited to take over government schools. He said it took about three years of his effort to bring VKV School in Mukto and said it was moment of pride and happiness that the effort has borne result, the communiqué added.