AIZAWL, July 14: The Mizoram government today cleared some hurdles to ensure smooth progress on the 60MW Tuirial hydel project in Mizoram, being constructed by NEEPCO.
Parliamentary secretary to the Chief Minister Lal Thanzara, who visited the project site today, agreed to fulfill the NEEPCO’s request for improvement of the 18-kilometre approach road.
He also granted permit to collect boulders from the nearby stone quarry.
He also assured NEEPCO’s request for allocation of another 5,380 hectares of land would be discussed in a special meeting soon.
Lal Thanzara said Mizoram government has given priority to the hydel project and this was why he visited the site to look into the construction company’s problems on the spot.
“Chief minister Lal Thanhawla is committed to extend all possible assistances to the workers to ensure that the project is completed within the stipulated time,” he told the NEEPCO officials. The NEEPCO officials also felt reassured by the Mizoram government’s enthusiasm.
Currently, works like cutting down of hillocks and construction of dam and tunnels are being carried out. The entire project is scheduled to be completed by January, 2014.
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) had last year revised the project cost of the 60 MW Tuirial Hydro Electric Project (THEP) to Rs 913 crore due to delay in resumption of work.
The project was initially taken up as a central sector scheme by NEEPCO with an estimated investment cost of Rs 369 crore in July 1998.
However, the project work came to a halt since June 2004 due to agitation launched by Tuirial Crop Compensation Claimant Association (TCCCA) claiming payment of crop compensation for the standing crops in the riverine reserve forest.
NEEPCO sources said till June 2004, prior to stoppage of work, 30 per cent of the project work and 95 per cent of design and engineering works were completed.
The government of Mizoram has already signed a power purchase agreement (PPA) for the purchase of power from this project at Central Electricity Regulatory Commission (CERC) rates. The project is expected to help the state of Mizoram and the North Eastern Region to mitigate the power shortage to some extent.
Tuirial project is envisaged as a medium head storage scheme with an installed capacity of 60 Mw (2 x 30 Mw).
(UNI)_
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