Quarry workers of Teesta LDP get compensation

Amitava Banerjee, HT, 26 Oct 2016, DARJEELING: It is finally good tidings for the 500-plus quarry workers working in nine quarries between the Stage 3 and Stage 4 of the Teesta Low Dam Project in Darjeeling district.

After more than five years of agitation, the NHPC has finally decided to provide them with a one-time compensation as the quarry workers have lost their livelihood since the commissioning of the two dams.

A meeting between the district administration, NHPC and Quarry Mazdoor Union (QMU, affiliated to Trinamool) was held in Darjeeling on Tuesday. “NHPC has agreed to pay a one-time compensation of Rs 48,453 each to the 500-plus quarry workers. The amount will be deposited in their bank accounts in the next 10 days,” said DM Anurag Shrivastava.

NHPC representatives abstained from commenting. Incidentally, the quarry workers have been agitating since the loss of their livelihood with the commissioning of the two dams, three years ago. Under the aegis of the QMU the workers have been agitating.

They have staged numerous dharnas and a shutdown of NHPC was also on the anvil.

The Teesta Low Dam (TLD) project, harnesses the Teesta River, which originates in Sikkim and flows through North Bengal, to create a 332 MW capacity-split into four stages. The first two stages for a total of 100 MW are in Sikkim while stage III of 132 MW and stage four of 168 MW are in West Bengal.

Stage 3 is a barrage with 132 MW installed capacity located near Rambi Ropeway, 8 km downstream from Teesta Bazar. Stage 4 is a dam with 168 MW installed capacity located 800 m upstream from the Coronation Bridge, 15 km downstream from Stage 3, both in the Darjeeling district.

“For the past three years the quarry workers have been suffering. Finally it is good news for them,” said TMC leader Sanjyog Gupta.