‘No new hydel projects to be allowed in GTA area henceforth’

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 1 Nov 2023:  In an emergent meeting of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA) Sabha in Darjeeling on Wednesday, it was resolved that henceforth permission will not be granted for the setting up of any new hydel power projects in the GTA area. 

The GTA in a preliminary assessment has pegged damages to the tune of around Rs 250 crore. The GTA Sabha meeting held at the Gorkha Ranga Mancha on the one-point agenda of rehabilitation of the affected in the Teesta flash flood that had wreaked havoc on October 4 in Sikkim and contiguous areas of the Hills of West Bengal resolved to form two committees namely a housing committee and a GTA disaster management committee. 

“Around 390 houses have been partially and fully damaged in the GTA area in the flash flood including 143 fully damaged in Kalimpong 1 block and 196 in Lava block. The housing committee, composed of elected public representatives of the affected areas will pool in resources and construct houses for the affected families,” stated Norden Sherpa, GTA Sabhasad. 

At present 166 families have been moved out of relief camps and settled in rented accommodations. “We will also form a Gorkhaland Territorial Administration Disaster Management Committee comprising of GTA Sabhasads along with experts,” stated Anjul Chauhan, Chairman, GTA.

The breaching of the dam of the Sikkim Urja project in Chungthang, North Sikkim for the October 4 disaster. “Most feel and experts opine that hydel power projects are to blame for the disaster. 

The GTA Sabha opined that henceforth no permission will be granted for the setting up of hydel projects in the GTA area” added Chauhan. Meanwhile, the GTA in a joint survey with NHPC and IRCON have earmarked 16 areas where protective walls and fortification of embankments of the Teesta River will be taken up by NHPC. 

“Already work has started at the Check Post area for Rs 2.43 crore. It is a time-taking process as the river had to be diverted at places for permanent protection walls to come up” stated Sonam Bhutia, Executive Director, GTA. The GTA has further resolved to urge the Government to declare the Rongpu-Teesta incident as a disaster. 

“Based on preliminary assessment we have written to the Disaster Management department of the State Government of damages to the tune of Rs. 250 crore,” said an official.

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/no-new-hydel-projects-to-be-allowed-in-gta-area-henceforth-538860