ITANAGAR, 18 Apr: The residents of Lower E Sector and Forest Colony here have opposed the “re-proposal for installation of a 33/11 kv transformer at the IG Park power garage near private residences.”
In a press release, the L-E Sector Colony Committee said the placing of the transformer there would be highly unsafe, and that “there is insufficient land for construction of such a project.”
The committee said it opposes the proposal for the project as no public hearing has been held in this regard by the Itanagar capital division of the power department.
“Since the site was a very controversial one from the time of preparation of the DPR, even the chief engineer (E) and executive engineer (E) also ordered for shifting the project to a suitable place and away from public residences,” the committee stated.
“The issue of installation of 33/11 kv is not a new one. The same was proposed, opposed and terminated by the stakeholders. To restart such a protested and terminated project, the power department should have at least held a public meeting once for all with the stakeholders or created awareness on the issue, thereby issue NOC from the power (E) capital complex and power grid Nirjuli,” it said, adding that the residents have submitted a memorandum to ADM Talo Potom to direct the power department to “halt all kind of information process till holding a public meeting, comprising all stakeholders and affected residents.”
“Despite holding public meeting regarding this issue, the power department executive engineer personally visited the site with more than 50 contractors to expedite the work forcibly on 16 April and 17 April, without maintaining SOPs for Covid-19,” the committee alleged.
