No records of transfer of Loktak Project to NHPC
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 01 2011: The State Electricity Department has admitted that there are no official records of agreements or contracts of the transfer of the Loktak Project to the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) in the department.

The matter was disclosed by Chief Engineer (Power) in reply to a RTI application made by one Kambam Seityajit of Khurai Chingangbam Leikai.

The Chief Engineer contended that formalities might have been carried out before the establishment of the Electricity Department.

Moreover the Detail Project Report of the Loktak Project which was commissioned in 1983 is also not available in the department's office.

To a query if there was any programme or scheme for rehabilitating individuals affected by the project, the Chief Engineer said that the information could not be furnished since the DPR is not with the department.

He hinted that the DPR might be in the custody of NHPC.

He informed the state needs 180 megawatts during the winter season and 110 megawatts during the summer season.

In reply to another query, the Chief Engineer firmly denied that there is no provision of uninterrupted power supply or VIP line in the existing system of the state.

The department also denied of any technical audit in the department.

It also said there is no reason for the department to compel consumers to contribute money for repairing transformers.

It said that there is no branch office of the Joint Electricity Regulatory Commission for Manipur and Mizoram at Imphal.

Regarding the reply of the Chief Engineer to his questionnaires, Seityajit on June 8 submitted a rejoinder to the First Appellate Authority, Commissioner (Power) stating that the reply furnished by the Electricity department does not provide the required information and that the department instead furnished false and misleading information.

Seityajit claimed that the department's reply to his query 1 and 2 are false and misleading which says that no official records are available in the department's office about the transfer of the project to NHPC.

He claimed that NHPC Ltd was formed in 1975 much later than the establishment of State Electricity Department which was separated from Public Works Department in 1971.He asked how it could be possible for the NHPC to execute the project without any agreement with the state in such circumstances.

It is also known that the DPR of the project was prepared in 1965 when the Electricity department was still not disassociated from the PWD and many copies of such DPR are available in different courts of adjudication on various disputes in the state.

It is an obligation of the Electricity department to keep the copy of DPR from the parent PWD of the state for future record and reference, as well as for the future generations in the interest of the integrity of the state.

In respect of the response furnished to query 3 of the application, Seityajit claimed that the electricity department is enjoying the fruits of the project by getting power generated from the project without knowing the details of the DPR.

And as a result of the ignorance of the department, public are suffering due to the absence of any knowledge of the rehabilitation programme.

This is highly objectionable and points to a doubtful behaviour of the department, he said.

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