GERUKAMUKH (Dhemaji), June 7 – For the power-starved Assam, the delay in the projected commissioning date of the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power Project, an undertaking of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC), is bad news. Though dams in the seismically active North East are a cause of serious concern among sundry environmental groups, the positive side of the proposed power station is that once completed, it will feed an additional 2000 megawatts of power into the electric grids of the region.
And while the environmental groups are fuming and fretting over their anticipated ‘environmental disaster’ such power projects may bring about, there are several other groups which are in favour of such ‘development works’, saying these contribute to better basic infrastructure as well as help generate employment. At the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project on Thursday, AASU general secretary Amiyo Kumar Bhuyan said that it is necessary for a proper environmental impact assessment to minimize ecological damages arising out of such mega projects. The Rs 6,000-crore power station entails building of a 169 metre-high-barrage to facilitate a steady flow of water to the eight 250 megawatt turbines.
Speaking on behalf of the power project, the station’s spokesman Dr H Sonowal said that the environmental impact assessment has been done meticulously, so that there is no major impact on the fragile ecology of Gerukamukh and its surroundings. The project site, located about 35 kilometres from Dhemaji town, is situated in sylvan surroundings comprising a lush green canopy over several hills. Dr Sonowal said that globally-competent engineers from European nations, Korea and Japan would be supervising the work of tunnel boring and other civil construction works, and stressed that these firms have a global reputation in similar works.
Replying to a question, the project’s senior civil engineer, R N Kashyap said that the apprehensions about the project causing havoc to the ecology are “not founded on facts and available information.” He said that the dam will not be created to form a reservoir, but to maintain the required water level to the rotate the power turbines. He said this is a unique dam, which would always maintain the Subansiri’s water flow, “but at a regulated level.” He said this would go a long way in preventing large-scale flooding of the plains.
As on Saturday (the day of writing this piece), the Union Ministry of Environment & Forests (MoEF) is yet to give its final clearance to the project, though the State governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh had given their green signal about a year ago. The MoEF is learnt to be apprehensive of the Upper and Middle Subansiri hydel projects, and that this is why the final environmental clearance for the ‘least damaging’ Lower Subansiri project at Gerukamukh is getting delayed. Assam desires early completion of the Gerukamukh project, as the electricity requirement in the State is a priority area.
As for AASU, it wants that the Rs 6000-crore Gerukamukh project must ensure maximum benefits to the people of Assam, as the project is located in the State. The students also want that the road leading upto Gerukamukh from Gogamukh should be permanently maintained by NHPC, and that special power allocation be made for the Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts from the power station. “We want that the NHPC should be involved in the overall community development process in the Gogamukh and Gerukamukh area and prove that it is a well meaning and truly responsible corporate body,” said Bhuyan.
According to Kashyap, the Gerukamukh power station would be able to feed the power grids after seven years from receiving the MoEF clearance. That is the time frame set for the commissioning of the power plant. Which is almost a decade away from now, considering the routine time over-runs projects face in the northeast due to the ubiquitous “unforeseen circumstances.”