The power ministry will soon convene a meeting of those opposing the 2000 MW Lower Subansari project along Assam-ArunachaL Pradesh border to break the logjam.
Union power minister Piyush Goyal while interacting through the video conferencing with the media persons in Guwahati on Sunday said, "World Bank is reluctant to fund power projects in Arunachal and Sikkim following which Centre has stepped in and implement the interstate an intra state transmission line project in Northeast India."
He added, "We will doing this project without World Bank support as we are self respecting country and will do it despite international agency going back on it commitments."
Sources in power ministry said that Union government is trying to clear Rs 15000 Crore externally aided rural electrification project for six Northeastern states which are languishing since last four years. "For two states Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim the fund will be provided by the union government. External agencies have shied away from funding projects in Arunachal and Sikkim. China has often claimed Arunachal as it territory," sources added.
NHPC's 2000 MW Lower Subansiri hydro power project is stalled since 2011 following massive protest from the anti dam groups. The project is facing massive cost overrun.
Goyal said, "We have called meeting with different stakeholders including those groups opposing it on September 12 however owing to by election in Assam, the meeting is postponed. I am ceased by the problem of Subansari. We will discuss and find way forward."
The power minister informed that one unit of NTPC's 750 MW Bongaigaon Thermal Power Station (BTPS) in Assam will start functioning by this year. "The project has faced delay as there were problems in Bodoland." The area has seen two major ethnic riots. Goyal added that he is in touch with chief ministers of Northeast India especially with Arunachal to find out ways to augment power production from the region.
"With an aim to maximize electricity production from hydro electric (potential 1, 48,000 MW) particularly in the Northeast so that region gets powers and also benefits from trading surplus power. We are working on the environment clearance for the Dibang project. Time bound action plan to expedite environmental clearances have been developed."
Source: Morung Express
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