Road blocks on Rimbi Hydel Power Project Public hearing
Posted by barunroy on August 8, 2008
FROM SIKKIM EXPRESS
GANGTOK, August 06: The situation turned hostile at the Pelling ground when the scheduled public hearing had to be cancelled at the last minute today. The public hearing of the Rimbi Hydel Power Project (66 MW), to be commissioned Gammon India Limited was cancelled when the team from the State Pollution Control Board and Sikkim Power Development Corporation failed to turn up at the venue. Even the area MLA could not attend the public hearing due to road blocks from massive landslides, which had occurred at Legship last evening.
On the other hand, landowners from Gyalshing, Lingchom, Rimbi, Darap, Pelling, who had come for the hearing organised by the SPCB lamented that the Gammon India Limited did not respond to their queries. “We were told to come in taxis and the company was supposed to pay the fare. But no representatives from the company were seen today at the venue,” said one of the landowner while talking with SIKKIM EXPRESS over the phone.
The people, who were already confused over the cancellation of the public hearing, said that they were kept in dark regarding many issues pertaining to the project. “Since we are parting with our lands, we just wanted to what exactly the Memorandum of Understanding contains,” another person added.
They further complained that not a single meeting has been held with the local Panchayats, NGOs or senior citizens regarding the said project. Anil Singh, the project officer of Gammon India Private Limited told SIKKIM EXPRESS that the payments of taxi fares have already been made. “The company will maintain complete transparency on the said hydel project, he said. The next date of the hearing is yet to be decided.
