Pacts for 160 Aruchal power projects inked

FROM OUR CORRESPONDENT

Itagar, March 9: Aruchal Pradesh Chief Minister bam Tuki today informed that the state government has inked memorandum of understandings (MoUs) and memorandum of agreements (MoAs) with power developers to execute 160 power projects in the state with a total installed capacity of 46,948 mega watt.

Responding to a question from opposition leader Tamiyo Taga during question hour, Tuki disclosed that three projects mely 2000 mw Lower Subansiri Hydro Electrci Project (LSHEP), 600 mw Kameng project and 110 mw Pare project are under execution.

Works on Lower Subansiri project at Gerukamukh was stalled in December 2011 after anti-dam protagonists opposed its construction apprehending cascading affect on the people living in the downstream of the river.

“The implementation of most of the projects is not able to be started due to stipulation of the union environment and forest ministry for requirement of basin study,” he said.

The basin study has been completed in respect of Siang basin and Subansiri basin for which decision has not been taken by the ministry till date. For other basins except Tawang, the study is yet to be started by the Centre. However, projects where clearencces have been obtained, there are various other problems line fincial closure, cases in the tiol Green Tribul and opposition from the locals, he added.

When Taga want to know the steps taken by the government to identify the developers who were not interested to execute projects even after signing of MoUs and MoAs, Tuki emphatically said that the government had already taken decision and cancelled contracts with a few developers for violating the agreement.

“We are monitoring the developers and directed them to abide by the agreement or otherwise their MoAs will be cancelled,” he said.

Responding to a supplementary from BJP member Japu Deru, the chief minister informed that power project was allocated to developers’ long back as a few minor projects were executed during 1970, 1980 and 1990. However, agreements for most of the major projects were inked in the last decade, he added.