Staff Reporter
ITANAGAR, 2 Aug: The Pro Dam Movement of Arunachal (PDMA) said that its members will stage a dharna at the IG Park tennis court here on Wednesday to press its 18-point charter of demands.
The organisation had submitted its demands to the state government in July this year.
Addressing media persons at the press club here on Tuesday, PDMA president Taw Paul said that “the state has already generated 1,015 megawatt through the Northeast Electric Power Corporation (NEEPCO) project,” and that “out of the 1,015 megawatt generated, the state receives only 135 mw.”
“The PDMA has been writing to the government on the issue since 2016 and has been trying to have peaceful talks with the state government and the hydropower department. However, we have been compelled to stage a dharna as the issue has been given a deaf ear,” Paul said.
Referring to the state’s hydropower policy of 2008, Paul said that it had been decided that “the state would be benefited with 12 percent in the hydropower sector,” and demanded “an increase of 60 percent in order to increase employment generation.”
He also reiterated the PDMA’s demand for 40 percent job reservation for the locals in Group A and B jobs, and 100 percent reservation in Group C and D posts, “as per the rules incorporated in the state’s hydropower policy.”
Referring to the record provided by the Central Electric Authority, he said that “1,048 jobs should be provided, but the state caters to only 262 posts in all the categories under NEEPCO and NHPC.”
The PDMA is also seeking shifting of the NEEPCO head office from Meghalaya to Arunachal Pradesh.
Rejecting hydropower department adviser Balo Raja’s claim that “there is no corruption in hydropower,” Paul said that “all the hydroelectric projects in the state are involved in corruption,” and added that “no local person has been recruited in higher post.”
Paul also claimed that “the state government profits in selling the per power unit to Rs 4 to the state, whereas the Ranganadi HEP, commercialised in selling in 1.9 paise outside the state, while Kameng and Pare HEPs sold out to Rs 4 and 5 per unit, respectively.”
