The Project Affected People’s Forum (PAPF) has asked NHPC Ltd to reinstate the jobs of all local skilled and unskilled employees of the Etalin Hydroelectric Project (HEP).
They stated that, with the change of authority, the employees should not face the risk of losing their jobs. The representation read: “Since the reassignment of the Etalin (3,097 mw) HEP has been recently approved for handing over to NHPC Ltd from SJVN Limited by the Ministry of Power, Government of India, all the local employees (skilled and unskilled), along with other project assets of the Etalin HEP, should also be reinstated in their respective present jobs without fail.”
Cleared in December 2015, the Ministry of Power, Government of India, has now reassigned the hydroelectric project to NHPC Ltd from SJVN Ltd.
The concerns of the local people must be respected, and the change of authority should not affect what was already agreed upon with the community. After acquiring rights over the rivers, project proponents often begin disregarding local concerns. Such an attitude will not help; mutual respect will.