MeECL yet to decide on shifting tower from near GSWSS pipelines
By Our Reporter
Shillong: The implementation of the Greater Shillong Water Supply Scheme (GSWSS) (Phase III) under the JNNURM has been put on hold due to the adamant attitude of the Meghalaya Electricity Corporation Limited (MeECL) which has failed to respond to a letter issued by the Public Health Engineering (PHE) department relating to the construction of a 132 thousand volt tower at Mawphlang.
“We haven’t received any reply from the MeECL till now on this issue,” PHE Additional Chief Engineer SK Sunn told The Shillong Times here on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, when contacted, Public Relations Officer of MeECL, EB Kharmujai, was unavailable to comment on the matter as he is currently in Tura.
The PHE department had sent a letter to the MeECL two months back requesting them to find an alternative site for the construction of the tower and also forwarded a copy to the to the Deputy Commissioner of East Khasi Hills with the same request.
“We are now awaiting responses from both the MeECL and the DC in this regard,” Sunn informed.
It may be reminded that the MeECL had constructed a 132 thousand volt electricity tower at Mawphlang without proper consultation with the PHE department. The tower has become an obstacle for the Phase III of the GSWSS as the pipelines for the project are meant to pass through the same location where the tower is situated. Construction of this high voltage tower is seen a potentially dangerous in an area where already two big water pipe lines of Phase I and II were laid and further laying of pipes lines in the same area would pose great threat to the life of the people.
PHE Minister Shitlang Pale, who had visited the site recently, had assured that he would take up the matter with the government to find a solution to the problem, but no progress has been made so far in this regard.