The dispute which had erupted on Monday between the local residents and the company working on the 444 mega watt Vishnugad-Peepalkoti hydro electric project in Chamoli district continued on Tuesday. Protesting against the issue of employment for the locals, villagers staged a demonstration at the main gate of the Peepalkoti project site here. Meanwhile, the local administration and police are also reported to be mediating in order to resolve the differences between the locals and the company.
It is pertinent to mention here that villagers and officials of the Hindustan Construction Company (HCC) working on the power project at Helang had entered into a heated argument on Monday on the issue of employing locals in the project. The dispute had escalated to such a level that both the local villagers and the company representatives reached the police station to lodge complaints against each other.
On Tuesday, the protesting local villagers staged a demonstration at the main gate of the dam site on the issue of employment for the locals. A report has already been registered with the police regarding the dispute but the issue was yet to be resolved till the time of this report being filed.
On the other hand, officials of the Hindustan Construction Company state that some women had gone to the dam site of the company on the issue of employment. However, the issue ended up being disputed. The company officials further state that a committee had been formed at the district administration level and it is this committee that facilitates employment for the locals. Meanwhile, the local administration is continuing efforts aimed at resolving he issue.