NONGPOH: Members of the Khasi Students’ Union North Khasi Hills unit met Ri Bhoi Deputy Commissioner CP Gotmare on Wednesday over the controversial New Umtru Hydro Electric plant and its “adverse effects” on farmers.
The meeting comes a day after the KSU members inspected the affected agricultural land and the road due to accumulation of water in the dam attached to the hydel plant that was inaugurated by CM Mukul Sangma on January 5.
The KSU delegation led by president Ferdynald Kharkamni and general secretary Lambok Rymbai put emphasis on three issues — delay in land compensation, affected agriculture land and the PWD road that will be badly affected when the water is accumulated for power generation.
Kharkamni said the DC informed that the administration could not do anything about land and crop compensation because there was direct purchase by MeECL.
Kharkamni said that KSU was shocked to know that in 2012, MeECL handed over the money of more than Rs 76 lakh to the Ri Bhoi district revenue office for land acquisition. But in 2013, the acquisition process was cancelled and MeECL took back the money and instead opted for direct purchase of land. But the landowners are yet to be paid.
Clarifying that the union was not opposed to the power project, Kharkamni said the step-motherly attitude of MeECL and the state government was a cause for concern.
“Arable land and PWD roads in several villages will collapse due to water accumulation for power generation,” he said and added that more than nine villages would be affected.
Among the villages threatened by the hydel plant are Paham Umdoh, Erbatemon, Umsarang, Barbalu, Pyngker A and Pyngker B.
“Though MeECL had earlier tried to construct an alternate road for the locals, the owner of this plot of land has refused to allow further construction as she was not in the loop and that no compensation for the land has been paid so far,” Kharkamni said.
The union demanded that the state government and MeECL should speed up the process of releasing land compensation. The union will soon meet either the chief minister or the governor in this regard.