Doyang Hydro-Electric Plant (DHEP), Wokha, has expressed concern over the takeover of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO Ltd.) by the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC Ltd.) following the disinvestment of the former.
DIMAPUR — The Land Owners’ Union, Doyang Hydro-Electric Plant (DHEP), Wokha, has expressed concern over the takeover of the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO Ltd.) by the National Thermal Power Corporation Limited (NTPC Ltd.) following the disinvestment of the former.
In a representation submitted to the Chief Minister of Nagaland, the affected landowners stated that they had signed a tripartite agreement with NEEPCO Ltd. and the Government of Nagaland in the early 1980s for the establishment of the Doyang Hydro-Electric Plant, with the objectives of generating power (capacity of 75 MW), creating employment opportunities and contributing to the economic development of the area.
However, the Government of India transferred its entire 100 per cent shareholding in NEEPCO Ltd. to NTPC Ltd. for INR 4,000 crore in 2020, bringing DHEP under the new ownership “without the knowledge and consent of the Government of Nagaland and the stakeholders of Doyang Hydro-Electric Plant.”
The landowners claimed that the transfer violated the tripartite agreement, which they said was finalised after several rounds of negotiations.
The 17 affected villages had agreed to part with their cultivable land specifically for the development of the power project under NEEPCO Ltd. and not for transfer to any other corporation or private agency, the representation stated.
The Land Owners’ Union also highlighted what it described as several unresolved issues concerning the hydro project. These include the ongoing dispute over the reservoir and water level, non-fulfilment of employment opportunities for affected landowners, and the non-recruitment of junior engineers despite the availability of qualified candidates from the affected villages.
The union also stated that the Doyang Hydro Power Station has made a significant contribution to the power sector and the economy over several decades. However, it said the local communities that sacrificed their ancestral lands and continue to bear the environmental and social impacts of the project have not received adequate developmental benefits.
In this regard, the Land Owners’ Union urged the Government of Nagaland to earmark at least 4 per cent or 2 per cent of the revenue received by the State as LADF for the welfare of project-affected families and surrounding areas.