Arunachal Pradesh: Locals Object as Non-Arunachali Engineers Appointed in Pare Hydroelectric Project

ARUNACHAL PRADESH: The Pare Project Land Affected Welfare Committee (PPLAWC) has raised objections over the appointment of 2 non-Arunachalis as junior engineers in power and engineering departments under the Pare Hydro Electricpower Project (PHEP). Hence expressing a dissatisfaction with the appointments, PPLAWC pointed to the lack of vacancy advertisements in national newspapers and the lack of consultation with local communities affected by the project.

The committee formed questioned the logic of hiring people from outside Arunachal Pradesh, points out to the unemployment of engineering graduates in the state. NEEPCO’s decision to appoint the non-residents to key engineering posts has left tribals in Arunachal Pradesh upset. PPLAWC asserted that such practices had adversely affected the sentiments of local communities who felt marginalized on their lands.

Furthermore, the committee said it intended preventing the engineers posted at the mercury site from taking over the project. They also warned that any attempt to any forceful entry to be made could turn into potential law and order issues arising in the start that would further start complicating the entire process and situation.

The Pare Hydroelectric Power Project which was opened in 2019, has created a milestone in the province’s energy strategy but as it progressed with time the controversy over recent appointments that resulted to threatened and to overshadow the progress of the project. This in turn started raising issues about the local representation and employment opportunities that were emerging in the state. As the pressure started to be intensified, the PPLAWC urged the NEEPCO, CMD is to reconsider the nominations and thus to recall the nomination papers and subsequenly cancel the nomination process in order to address the current grievances which are raised by the communities in their role and restore the goodwill in the implementation of this project in the long run.

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