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Khandu assures to revive Subansiri dam project

By Correspondent

ITANAGAR, Feb 12 - Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu today said that the State Government will soon sort out the problems in the implementation of the stalled 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Power Project at Gerukamukh along Assam-Arunachal border.

Khandu made this assurance after inspecting the dam site, to a group of NHPC officials in a meeting at Dollungmukh today. The Chief Minister said he will have talks with his Assam counterpart Sarbananda Sonowal and Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal for an early solution.

Work at the project site came to a grinding halt since December 2011 following protests by anti-dam groups on downstream concerns.

�Finding a solution to the Subansiri Lower Dam is highly important as the State Government is daily losing to the tune of Rs 1.20 crore, an amount that could have been accrued from the 12 per cent free power share,� said Khandu. He stressed that all the concerns and matters that are proving as stumbling block to the project, need urgent attention.

�NHPC�s Subansiri Lower Dam is of importance not only at the local level, but to the State and the country,� said the Chief Minister. He said had the dam been commissioned on time, the State could have reaped the benefits in terms of employment, contractual works and tourism promotion.

Khandu even stressed that no Chief Minister in Arunachal can take the State ahead, if hydropower potential of the State is not optimally used.

Executive Director of Subansiri Lower HEP Project, Rakesh explained to the visiting CM and his team about the project status and its implementation. The project was forced to suspend its construction activities in December 2011, following protests from dome of the stakeholders and pressure groups. The project with its initial cost estimated at Rs 6,285 crore began its construction in 2005. However, due to the delay, the revised cost has jumped to Rs 17,435 crore as of today.

The NHPC official informed that till date 55 per cent of works have been completed and the construction works are at standstill with only routine preservation and maintenance works being carried out.

Because of stoppage of construction activities, he informed that the company is losing Rs 10 crore every day, being incurred in maintenance works and other activities. Till date, the project has incurred Rs 9,000 crore as expenditure, added the official.

Earlier, the Chief Minister and his team visited the water intake site, followed by a 1.5 km drive inside the surge tunnel. The team made a brief halt inside the tunnel where the NHPC officials briefed them about the layout of the eight surge tunnels.

Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein, Industries Minister Tapang Taloh, Health Minister Jomde Kena, PHE Minister Bamang Felix, Parliamentary Secretary for Transport and Supply Likha Saaya, and MLAs Tamar Murtem and Tage Taki accompanied the Chief Minister during the visit.

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