The aerial view of expected elevation and submergence of the 186 Dikhu Hydro Electric Project as per a document prepared by the Department of Power, Nagaland.
Land-owners apprehensive of large-scale inundation of land
Morung Express News
Dimapur | July 29
The long on the drawing board Dikhu Hydro Electric Project is facing foreclosure pending land settlement. Originally proposed in the 1990s as a 120 MW capacity project, it underwent two modifications, before finally settling for the now in proposal 186 MW.
The second happened in the early 2000s with NEEPCO proposing to the Department of Power Nagaland (DoPN) a 140 MW project, which however fell through.
In 2009, the DoPN reached a joint venture deal with one Manu Energy Systems (MES) Pvt Ltd for developing a 186 MW capacity unit at a projected cost of Rs 1900. According to the DoPN, the department will hold an equity share of 24 percent, and MES, 76 percent.
The consolidated chart of projected area of 186 Dikhu Hydro Electric Project as per a document prepared by the Department of Power, Nagaland.
15 years on, the proposal remains stalled in the land acquisition stage and the prospect of foreclosure. The Techno-Economic Clearance (TEC) issued for the project by the Central Electricity Authority is set to expire in March 2025.
On July 29, the DoPN held a ‘Stakeholders Meet’ in Dimapur to which were invited the frontal students’ organisations of the three districts. It had a separate seating the district chambers of commerce and industry of Longleng, Mon and Mokokchung, alongwith, the Business Association of Nagas.
It was followed by a press conference addressed by the DoPN officials, including the former Engineer in Chief of the DoPN, Moa Aier, where it was disclosed that the project is estimated to cover roughly 2000 hectares in area, touching lands falling in Mon, Longleng and Mokokchung districts. The main land-owning stakeholders or villages include 5 in Mon, 7 in Longleng and 3 in Mokokchung.
Aier said that the idea behind the day’s meeting was to rope in the students and business bodies for helping generate awareness about the project. For the last 15 years, he added that the department has been engaging with the stakeholders, including village councils, individuals and district administration. “Even as recently as last year, there was a consultative committee comprised of members from all the 15 villages of the project area. And also, we have been engaged with the apex tribal bodies of the three tribes,” he said.
Apprehension of large-scale inundation of land has turned out to be the major stumbling block. Citing preliminary GPS simulation data, Aier said that the damming of the river will largely submerge uninhabited gorges by the riverside. “I believe it will not touch any village, per se, if you mean the village boundaries,” he said. According to him, the waters are projected to rise some 70-100 meters, well below any inhabited village. Some low-lying paddy-fields belonging to Nyang and Kanchin, in Longleng, are in line to be submerged but according to Aier, it will be miniscule.
The perceptible apprehension has had the developers unable to conduct field survey.
Once the lake takes shape, it was added that all villages covered or affected by the hydro project will have access or fishing rights.
Environmental Impact Assessment
According to Aier, Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is under preparation. He said, “All issues will be reported (accounted for), and there will be public hearings. And in the public hearings, what kind of land, what size, which village and what kind of plantation or crop, all these things will be classified, including the land compensation cost.”
It will also specify steps for mitigating environment impact with the report submitted to the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. “Only after they are satisfied with the mitigation (report), they’ll give the clearance for the project,” he said.
Techno-Economic Clearance
If a settlement is not reached by the end of March 2025, the project will be foreclosed, implying the state will lose control of its future. Aier explained that the state government is bound by an existing MoU and cannot simply switch developers.
Once the Techno-Economic Clearance lapses, it will be difficult to obtain or renewed. “If it gets lapsed in March, then the extension of the TEC may not be given. The department also will find it difficult to apply for an extension, and without that, no new company or no new developer can come in,” he said.
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