SHILLONG, April 14: Power Minister James Sangma has insisted that the site of the Umngot hydroelectric project is too far to impact the tourism-based livelihood of people downstream.
Batting for the Umngot dam on Wednesday, he admitted that many people in the Dawki region depend on the tourists attracted by the unique river.
“I say with a sense of responsibility that we understand that livelihood depends a lot on maintaining the pristine nature of the place. But there will be no impact because the Umngot dam site is at a considerable distance from that area,” Sangma said.
“I think the concerns about the whole place changing suddenly are unfounded,” he added.
The Power Minister vouched for the government’s inclusivity and assured consultations with all the stakeholders.
“Today, we are facing an acute shortage of power and the Umngot project is a very viable one. It will be very beneficial for the state in many aspects other than power generation,” Sangma said.
Stiff opposition from at least a dozen villages has cast a cloud on the project involving the construction of a dam across the Umngot, considered to be India’s clearest river.
The villagers have been claiming that the dam would cripple tourism in Shnongpdeng, Dawki and adjoining areas.
