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Sikkim Minister requests Shinde to clear imposition on six projects

Sikkim Express: www.sikkimexpress.com

Sikkim Minister requests Shinde to clear imposition on six projects

GANGTOK, November 19: Referring to the Ministry of Environment’s order to stop any field work in respect of six hydro power projects with total capacity of 1100 MW above Chungthang, the State Power Minister Sonam Gyatso Lepcha recently requested the Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde to clear those hydro power projects with whom the Agreement has already been signed by the Government of Sikkim.
Mr, Lepcha was addressing the Power Minister’s conference held in New Delhi on November 15.
“The decision had been imposed on the basis of study report by the Centre for Inter Disciplinary studies of Mountain and Hill Environment (CISME) on the carrying capacity of Teesta,” he said adding that the State Government had at the draft stage of the report asserted that a holistic view of the situation taking all aspects like effects on environment, social economic and cultural life of the people of Sikkim had to be weighed before taking such a drastic decision.
During the meeting chaired by the Union Power Minister, Minister for State for Power, GoI, Bharatsing Solanki and attended by Ministers of all the States and Union Territories and Union Power Secretary and Power Secretaries of all the States and UTs, the Sikkim Minister said that the Himalayan State had taken the leading initiative in harnessing its hydro potential and have already allotted 26 hydro projects with an installed capacity of about 5000 MW. “Work has already started in 1200 MW Teesta III, 500MW Teesta VI, 99 MW Chujachen, 96 MW Jorethang Loop, 120MW Rangit IV Projects, and all the above projects are expected to be commissioned by the end of the 11th Plan, resulting in the capacity addition of about 2000MW,” he said. Mr. Lepcha further hoped that by the end of the 12th Plan all the remaining Hydro project also are expected to be commissioned.
On the occasion, he also emphasised on the inclusion of other District and Sub Divisions of Sikkim like Namchi, Gyalshing, Mangan, Jorethang, Rhenock, Singtam, Rongli, Rangpo, Ranipool, Chandmari Chungthang, Pakyoung, Rabongla and Soreng under the R-APDRP (Regarding Restructure Accelerated Power Development and Reform Programme). He said, only two townships Gangtok and Upper Tadong have been identified for implementing the R-APDRP project, for which WIPRO has been engaged as the I.T. Consultant. “Based on DPR prepared by them, an amount of Rs. 26.3 crore has been recently sanctioned,” he said. This scheme, the minister added will help the department check the loss of energy/electricity in Gangtok town and also in raising fund in the State exchequer.
Since the townships to qualify to be included in the scheme should have a minimum population of 10000 as per the 2001 census, only two townships in Sikkim were found eligible, which is why Mr. Lepcha requested the concerned Ministry to keep the population bench mark at 5000 or even less.
Talking on Rajiv Gandhi Gramin Vidhyutikaran Yojana (RGGVY), the State Power minister said, Sikkim has been accorded sanction for four packages at a total cost of Rs. 148.00 crore. He further said that the state Government had proposed to extend electricity supply to BPL households in Sikkim. Materials in all theses works have reached at respective sites and work have started. It is expected that the works shall be completed within the stipulated time period by August 2010, he added.
Mr. Lepcha was accompanied by department secretary Pema Wangchen.

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