ITANAGAR, May 14:

 

Rational exchange of ideas and emotions marked the second edition of the ‘Face To Face Symposium’ today.

Organised by the Arunachal Press Club, Sunday’s symposium on ‘Hydropower in Arunachal Pradesh’ witnessed the participation of policymakers, academics, technocrats, affected people, and activists.

Addressing the gathering, APC general secretary Taya Bagang spoke about the importance of bringing minds together to discuss ideas and concepts on issues.

In his keynote address, he also called upon the people to question the model of development that we as people must pursue.  

“All across the world, throughout history, human’s quest for ‘development’ has come at a great cost,” Bagang said, adding that even today indigenous communities continue to fall prey to their governments’ plans for ‘progress, growth and development’.

Bagang said that hydropower development in Arunachal Pradesh is “perhaps one of the most controversial and contentious issues” but that “unfortunately we seem to either know too little about the issue, or only know of coloured versions of the issue. The Arunachal Press Club therefore, felt that this is a topic that is best suited for our second Face to Face Symposium”.

Divided into three sessions- Official Perspectives: Views from the Government and Power Developers; Voices from the Ground: Concerns of Affected People and; Neighbourhood Watch: Experiences of People’s Struggles from the Region- the symposium had policymakers, technocrats and power developers defending their position on the issue, elaborating on the benefits of hydropower as a clean energy source.

Government spokesperson and parliamentary secretary for tourism, PD Sona, who was a panellist in the first session, made it amply clear that he was not speaking on behalf of the government but did put forward many of the government’s views.

Speaking during the first session, Sona asserted that the state government will not construct any dam against the will of the community.

“The state government is going to build dams but not against the will of the people. The government, being a welfare government, would not enforce anybody to build dams and local sentiments have to be taken care of,” Sona said while attending as one of the panellists during the symposium.

However, Sona cautioned that in case local communities agree upon the construction of projects, there should be no disturbance or intervention from activist from outside.

“It should be the local community who should decide whether to construct a dam or not… not by the people from outside,” he said.

The parliamentary secretary also emphasized on good and holistic debates to bring solutions to the hydropower issue in the state.

Stating that mass destruction of environment and infrastructure has to been taken care of before building dams, Sona, who is also close aide of chief minister Pema Khandu said that the best possible technology and machineries have to be put into action while constructing dams.

He said that the hydropower industry is the only industry that can make state self-reliant without depending on New Delhi all the time, and added that the state has enough landmass which can hold reservoirs.

“After establishing hydropower projects, there would be employment opportunities, economy generation, and revenue activities will be higher in comparison to the present,” Sona said.

Department of hydropower development chief engineer, Jummar Kamdak, who also spoke in the first session informed that the state is generating 475.11 MW out of 58, 160.2 MW potential which is 0.82 percent.

He informed that if the 144 planned projects are implemented, the state would generate an annual revenue of Rs 1.3183 crore per MW and annual revenue of Rs 7668.2 crore and free power worth Rs 5816.74 crore.

He also said that most projects have been allocated to carry out and prepare DPRs, investigations, and viability of the IPPS.

“Every project won’t be implemented. The implementation part will be done only after proper study and public statuary body grants permissions,” Kamdak said.

He said it will reduce employment crisis in a big way since local contractors will be awarded work and free electricity for ten years to the project affected people.

Informing that the state has 41 percent of India’s hydropower potential, Hydro Power Development Corporation of Arunachal Pradesh DGM, Mara Kocho, said that “hydropower being the cleanest energy shall generate revenue, create jobs, business opportunities, provide free electricity, act as flood control moderator and bring development to the local area”.

He also said there are some constraints on relief and rehabilitation issues, earthquake vulnerability, ecological imbalance and manmade floods.

Kocho also stressed for creating more awareness among the people and emphasized on small projects based on the run-of-the-river system.

NHPC executive director, Ronel Kumar, informed that NHPC has already invested Rs 900 crore on Subansiri Lower Project where Rs ten crore has been invested.

Informing that Arunachal Pradesh will get Rs 240 MW and Assam 40 MW of free power, he said that the project is technically sound and has got the green signals from an expert committee but is still pending with the National Green Tribunal.

He said the NHPC is going to implement four projects where it will generate an annual income of Rs 1621.70 crore which is 12 percent of the annual budget.

ACR chairman and SAA chairman, Bamang Tago, maintained that more dialogue and mechanism is required to solve conflicts between communities and hydropower developers.

“The people are the ultimate authority. So the voice of the people has to be heard before implementing any project,” Tago said.

He also called for a review of hydropower policy and the need for legal recognition of ownership with prior information to the people.

RGU professor Otem Padung stressed that each and every aspect relating to the construction of dams has to be investigated independently without any bias, adding that more research needs to be done on the ‘bane and boon’ aspects of projects before implementing them.

Padung also appealed to all to look upon the necessity of trans-boundary issues and respect opinions of the public before policy makers make any decisions.

Siang People’s Forum general secretary, Oyar Gao, while demanding the state government to review the MoUs signed for Siang basin, said that the people are not against the construction of small dams but against its policies.

“We are not completely against the construction of dams, but not at the cost of big dams which would create mass destruction and demographic changes,” Gao said.

He also called for exploring water-sharing treaties with China and Bangladesh.

Arunachal Indigenous Peoples Development Initiative president, Rezina Mihu, said there should be a single window system to deal with hydropower development and mechanisms need to be chalked out with policy makers to provide a clearer understanding to affected people.

He said that instead of primarily concentrating on hydropower, the government should also focus on sustainable development in the fields of tourism, agriculture, horticulture, and forestry.

Mihu also expressed concerns over the RR policy that has been done in the Dibang Multipurpose Project where locals have not got their compensation despite assurances given by the NHPC.

The last session of the day witnessed Gyatso Lepcha from Sikkim (Affected Citizens of Teesta) and Ram Wangkheirakpam from Manipur (Indigenous Perspectives) present their experiences with the hydropower development in their states and the struggles they’ve had to endure.

Both panellists presented slideshows highlighting the impact that dams have had on the environment and ecology of their states.

Jarjum Ete, president of the All Indian Union of Forest Working People, who moderated the session spoke of the communication gap between policymakers and the people. She said that the government machinery is set up in such a manner that officials are reluctant to hear differing voices. 

What was made amply clear during the symposium, however, was that there are several issues that people are still facing several issues that need to be addressed.

From unpaid or unfair compensation dues to non-fulfilment of agreements promised to affected families. Government officials in the audience too raised such issues to the government and power developer representatives on the panel.

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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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