NGO opposes laying of transmission line over Senki river

Staff Reporter

ITANAGAR, 1 Apr: The Youth Mission for Clean River (YMCR), an NGO that advocates clean rivers and environment, has vociferously opposed the laying of a 132 kv transmission line over the Senki river at Niya village, Chimpu.

YMCR chairman SD Loda in a statement demanded early relocation of the transmission line and tower.

Claiming that erection of a high voltage transmission tower in the middle of the Senki river at Niya Colony would cause environmental hazard and affect the aquatic lives, Loda argued that, “as per the Environment Protection Act, 1986, it is illegal to block and divert the river’s course and pollute the river water.”

Loda further argued that the 132 kv tower, which is being erected in the middle of the river, is blocking the river’s natural course, which he said may cause further erosion in the area.

Loda had filed a petition before the National Green Tribunal’s eastern zone bench in Kolkata (WB) in 2020, alleging that “unmindful waste are dumping into Senki/Dikrong river in Itanagar area, causing environmental effect and loss of aquatic lives.”

The residents of Niya village have also opposed the laying of the transmission line. In a representation to the ICR deputy commissioner, one Tete Jomoh claimed that a segment of the 132 kv Lekhi-Chimpu transmission line near Jullang has “seen unprecedented growth of habitation, infringing into the right of way of the line.” He claimed that, “due to human activities around the towers, it is made vulnerable to the towers.”

He pleaded with the authority concerned to “relocate the towers from human habitation by constructing pile foundation towers over the Dikrong river.”