JOWAI: The Fact Finding Committee (FFC), comprising of political parties, formed to look into the anomalies of the Myntdu-Leshka Hydro Electric Project visited the project site led by its chairman Nongthymmai legislator, Jemino Mawthoh on Friday.
Mawthoh was accompanied by Mawshynrut MLA,Witting Mawsor, Mawlai MLA, Embhah Syiemlieh and KHADC Deputy Chairman, Pyniaid Sing Syiem besides leaders from the BJP, UDP and HSPDP.
The FFC team was welcomed by the MeECL Director (Generation Wing), Elias Lyngdoh, engineer in charge of the power house, and other MeECL officials.
Lyngdoh briefed the FCC on the Leshka Hydro Electric Project, a run-of-the-river project functioning of which depends mainly on the water level in the dam.
He also briefed the FCC on the price escalation from Rs. 363.08 crore for 84 mega watts in 1999 to Rs. 1286.53 for 126 mega watts in 2013.
The top official of the Generation Wing informed the FFC that the MeECL has not spent a single paisa for the construction of the project.
“The amount spent for the project is procured from loans and from both central and state government schemes,” Lyngdoh informed.
According to him, the funding sources came as loan and equity.
“Loan which was already taken is Rs. 856.19 crore and an additional Rs 79.38 crore has been proposed taking the total to Rs. 935.57 crore,” Lyngdoh informed adding that the funding from equity which includes Rs. 288.02 crore from Actual Central Assistance and Special Plan Assistance (ACA/SPA) and Rs. 28.80 crore from the State Government’s shares added up with another proposed Rs. 34.02 crore as a share from the government taking the total amount to Rs. 350.84 crore.
The FFC team also inspected the project site including the dam and the power house.
Speaking to media persons, FCC chairman Mawthoh said it is too early to make any comments or reach a conclusion on the functioning of the project.
“We will have to do an extensive study of all the details,” he said.
The Fact finding team will also visit other power projects in the state besides other departments of the MeECL, particularly the distribution unit.
The fact-finding team will conduct spot inspection of different power projects that are being taken up in the State besides trying to figure out the reasons which led to the shortage of power supply in Meghalaya.
The engineer in charge, MeECL Michael Pohshna during a spot demonstration inside the power house informed that the water level at the dam is 609 metres which is below the normal level of 618 metres.
“Since the water level is below normal, the three units of the power house which generate 42 megawatts each are generating power below their capacity and the time of running the turbine has to be shortened,” he said.
The hydro electric project generated over 70 megawatt of power on Friday.
