Works for Teesta IV project to start soon in Sikkim: NHPC

GANGTOK, July 10, 2013

Process for environmental and other statutory clearances for the 520 Mw Teesta Stage-IV hydel power project being developed by NHPC are at a very advanced stage. This was informed by NHPC Teesta Stage-IV project general manager D Chattopadhyay during the inauguration of a 5-a-side artificial turf football ground on July 7 at Mangan. Once the clearances are granted, construction works will take off very soon, he said.

The project, costing Rs. 3594 crores, is proposed over Teesta river in Dzongu area in North Sikkim. It lies between the 2009 commissioned Stage IV 510 MW project in East district and under-construction Stage III 1200 MW project coming up over at Chungthang in North Sikkim. The State government would be getting 13 percent power generated from the project.

The NHPC Teesta Stage IV general manager further appealed for support from locals and State government for the project during the inauguration function also attended by Dzongu MLA Power minister Sonam Gyatso Lepcha.

Sonam Gyatso, it may be recalled, had boycotted the public hearing held twice for the project at Namprikdhang in 2011 and 2012. He had also termed the second hearing, attended by some section of people from the project-affected area, as ‘eyewash’.

Meanwhile, Chattopadhyay informed that the NHPC has already contributed Rs. 83 lakhs for different other developmental activities in North Sikkim in 2012-13. An amount of Rs. 16.50 lakhs was contributed by the NHPC for foundation and fencing works of the astro-turf football ground, he said.

The cost of the astro-turf was met through the earthquake relief funds collected by United Sikkim FC and SIKKIM EXPRESS.

The land belongs to the State government while the project was monitored and supervised at the ground level by the North District Football Association.

(Courtesy: Sikkim Express)