Gangtok, 19 October : In response to the catastrophic Teesta Stage-III Dam breach, which was triggered by an abrupt cloud burst and flash floods on October 4th, 2023, at Chungthang in the Mangan District, the Cabinet convened on October 17th, 2023, and took significant action.
The purpose of this action is to address the severity of the situation and establish accountability. To this end, the Cabinet has instructed the relevant department to create a High-Level Committee comprised of Technical Experts, Financial Experts, and other pertinent Subject Experts. The committee has been tasked with the following responsibilities:
1. Review the allocation process for the Teesta Stage III, 1200 MW Project, with a focus on assessing the credibility, authenticity, technical expertise, financial stability, and other relevant factors of the Consortium involved.
2. Evaluate any changes in the Detailed Project Report (DPR) that occurred before the Project was allocated, particularly in terms of technical and financial considerations.
3. Investigate the acquisition of shares by the Government of Sikkim/ SPICL and determine how the valuation of these shares was determined.
4. Scrutinize the awarding of contracts and subcontracts by Sikkim Urja Limited (formerly known as Teesta Urja Limited- TUL).
5. Examine the sale of equity by Athena Projects Pvt. Ltd. to Asian Genco Pvt. Ltd. and other parties.
6. Investigate all aspects related to the Project’s allocation and execution.
7. Address any other relevant issues as identified and deemed necessary by the Committee.
Furthermore, the Cabinet has directed the Sikkim Vigilance Police to conduct a comprehensive inquiry to determine if there are any criminal elements within the entire construction process of the Project. The results of this inquiry will be used to determine whether a case should be registered and subsequently transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
