ES Reporter

YAZALI, May 21:Hundreds of affected people under the banner of RHEP MoU Demand Committee on Monday staged a sit-in protest in front of the NEEPCO office located at Yazali demanding the state government and the hydropower developer to sign a fresh MoU against the state’s biggest hydro power project, while reminding its continued stand on its charter of demands submitted to NEEPCO.

Natives of eight villages voluntarily participated and registered their support to the 12 points charter of demands, which includes, immediate recruitment of project affected people in Group (A, B, C &D) post under NEEPCO as per agreement of RHEP,  implementation of 1% of total generated power of project for local area development fund(LADF) guaranteed under National Hydro Power Policy Act 2008, strict implementation of CSR-CD schemes on need basis etc.

Addressing the gathering, chairman, RHEP Mou Demand Committee, Taba Techi said that the project affected people are in full support of development, but are against the apathetic outlook of NEEPCO authorities towards their legitimate demands.

“From the RHEP project, the state government as well as the NEEPCO is earning hundreds of crore annually, but since last 15 years the project affected people are yet to get any benefits from the sacrifices made by giving up their paddy fields, homes etc,” lamented Taba Techi.

Informing that before commissioning of the project, the hydro power developer had promised jobs, free education & medical facilities, roads etc to the affected people, Techi said NEEPCO backtracked from its promise and overruling the agreement and sentiments has continuously recruited employees from other states that too without floating any job advertisement in the state, thereby depriving the qualified youth from project affected families.

Referring to the lapses in implementation of mandatory CSR-CD schemes and local area development fund for development of catchment area, Techi informed that since 2009 , NEEPCO did not invest even a penny for infrastructure development.

Also demanding the authority to establish a full- fledged branch office of NEEPCO in the state capital with a nodal officer to monitor and implementation of CSR-CD and LADF, Techi opined that such an office is need of the hour for a state like Arunachal, which is contributing more than 50 percent of Hydro electric power in comparison to other states of North-East and to monitor whether the development packages of NEEPCO is being properly implemented or not.

 “We also kept the cheque of 1, 28, 19000 ready, which was earlier given by NEEPCO to Project affected families as a part of compensation and resettlement packages, stated Techi opining if NEEPCO wants to discuss the burning issue, ‘we are ready but the meeting must be convened either by the CMD, NEEPCO or any officer of that rank and position.’

Further ,Techi also went on to add that “If CMD of NEEPCO thinks that they will not able to fulfill our demands then I suggest them to leave the area as the villagers will no longer tolerate more deprivation.”

Further narrating the resolution adopted on the agreement for the benefit of local people, Chairman of the Committee, Techi said there is also mandatory provision to implement 1% of profit generated from the project for Local Area development Fund (LADF) under National Hydro Power Policy Act 2008, but that was also never implemented since after commissioning despite several memorandum and representation to NEEPCO.

Meanwhile responding to the call of protesters, the Deputy GM, NEEPCO, B. Goswami informed the gathering that he has forwarded the message and memorandum to the head office, Shillong for review and informed that the matter is being placed under discussion and head office is studying the charters of demands.

Further the committee has decided to intensify its movement by launching a 24 hour bandh call at NEEPCO RHEP, HOP complex camp, Yazali on June 19 and 36 hours on July 5 next.

 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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