Correspondent
RUKSIN, 9 May: With a view to resolving the ongoing dispute between the state power department and the affected villagers over setting up the 132 KV Likabali to Niglok power transmission line, the Ruksin subdivision administration convened a meeting with power department officials, GBs and panchayat leaders at the RWD guesthouse here in East Siang district on Wednesday.
The participants discussed the pros and cons of the problems related to the compensation process. The electricity line will pass over Depi, Depi-Moli, Detak, Debing, Debing-Poplung, Rayang and Rayang-Moli villages in Ruksin circle.
The project, which was initiated in 2017-18 to connect Likabali in Lower Siang district with the Power Grid station at the Niglok Industrial Growth Centre, is on hold after the affected villagers submitted complaint with the district administration regarding compensation against loss and damage of their land and properties.
The affected families of the seven villages have expressed resentment that the state government has issued a notification denying compensation for damaged properties in the compensation package.
It is learnt that the power department is taking steps to compensate for the land value, but is reluctant to pay compensation for loss of properties.
On the other hand, the state forest department has not given clearance to the power project, stating that 24 poles of the transmission line have been erected within Gali reserve forest.
The lack of clearance from the forest department is creating hurdles for the local administration in assessing the compensation values for the property losses.
The Power Grid authority and the power department said they are willing to pay land values to the affected families.
Addressing the meeting, Ruksin ADC Kiran Ningo asked the affected families to accept only land compensation against the power project, and appealed to them to help the Power Grid authority in ensuring on-time completion of the ambitious project.
“Construction activities of the important project should not be halted over compensation issues,” the ADC said.
The ADC suggested to the villagers to “move the state and the central governments through proper channels to declare Gali reserve forest as ‘de-reserved’, as you have already given land to the department, thereby developing Gutin forest, covering the foothill areas.”
Among others, Power Grid General Manager Kaling Jongkey and Power (Transmission) Executive Engineer Tarik Mize also spoke, and assured the aggrieved people that they would place their grievances before the state government.
