‘Subansiri Hydro Project problems to be sorted out’

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Sunday said the state government will soon sort out the problems on implementation of the stalled 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project at Dollongmukh in Lower Subansiri district.
Khandu said he would hold talks with Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal and his Assam counterpart Sarbananda Sonowal for an early solution. He gave this assurance to a group of NHPC officials after inspecting the dam, an official release said. Work on Lower Subansiri project has been stalled since December 2011 because of protests by anti-dam groups from Assam who apprehended that the people residing in the downstream of the project will be in grave danger in there is any breach in the dam.
Finding a solution to the Subansiri Lower dam is important since the state government is losing to the tune of Rs 1.20 crore per day, an amount that could have been accrued from the 12 per cent free power share, said Khandu. Had the dam been commissioned on time, the state could have reaped the benefits in terms of employment, contractual works and tourism promotion, he said.
Due to the delay, the revised cost estimate has jumped to Rs 17,435 crore now. The NHPC official said that till date 55 per cent of works have been completed and construction work now has stopped with only routine maintenance works being carried out. Till date, the project has incurred Rs 9000 crore as expenditure, added the official. (PTI)