The Hindu Business Line : Sikkim to go ahead with hydro power project plans: Chamling

The Chief Minister, Mr Pawan Chamling, said his Government “will continue to stand by its commitment and will not compromise on the ongoing power projects which are in the overall interest of the State and its people”. Referring to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh’s comments made in his Independence Day message to the nation on the implementation and development of hydro power projects in the country to generate 100,000 MW of power, Mr Chamling said the State Governments had been requested to initiate action immediately to meet the target.

“Sikkim is endowed with abundance hydro power potential, which is estimated to be around 8,000 MW. In order to tap this potential, a number of hydro electric power projects have been planned by my Government for sustainable economic development of the State. We will go ahead with the projects as envisioned,” Mr Chamling said.

The State Government’s reaffirmation of its stand on hydro power projects has come at a time when the indefinite hunger strike and Satyagraha, spearheaded by the Affected Citizens of Teesta (ACT) against a slew of such projects planned for Dzongu in North Sikkim, has entered its 57th day. While both the State Government and the ACT representatives have met a couple of times for a settlement, the stalemate continues. The ACT wants projects planned in Dzongu scrapped and others planned across the State reviewed.

The Opposition parties in the State have also taken up the issue in support of ACT and have launched a campaign against the State Government, criticising it for ignoring the plea of the affected people. However, the Sikkim Government has made it clear that it would not scrap any of the projects in the State. “We have taken cautious steps with regards to environment and ecological balance by choosing to implement run-of-the-river type projects,” the Chief Minister said.