In a bid to address the rehabilitation issue involving the Koteshwr/Tehri hydropower project, a cabinet subcommittee meeting was held in the Assembly on Friday with the urban development minister Pritam Singh Panwar in the chair. During the meeting Panwar instructed the THDC officials to address the public grievances on priority basis.
Those attending the meeting informed that the affected people’s grievances would be addressed by the rehabilitation directorate, THDC directorate and coordination committee.
“ We have three- tier arrangements to address the issue. If the problems happen to be out of the purview of the committees the cabinet would deal with them,” the minister said, adding that things might be referred to the Centre if they so warrant.
Member of the cabinet subcommittee and Tourism Minister Dinesh Dhanai instructed the convener committee’s chairman and Garhwal Commissioner Vinod Sharma to sort out the pending issue by calling convener committee meeting in the next one week.
Taking cognizance on the instruction, Sharma asked the Tehri DM to call meeting within the next few days. Dhanai warned the officers that rehabilitation being a very sensitive issue, THDC and the district administration should execute the commitment as per the decisions taken by the cabinet subcommittee. “It is sad that while the people from a few villages have been rehabilitated the rest have been left out. Those left out must be rehabilitated under a collateral policy,” he said.
Referring to two families from Hadiyadi village being left out, Dhanai instructed the officials concerned to give land or Rs 40 lakh as compensation to them. However, THDC official strongly objected to the instruction, citing the amount as exaggerated . Dhanai said that the compensation must be in tune with the current market price of the lands.
Forty families from Bauradi village facing fund crunch in their building construction works, the subcommittee instructed the THDC convening committee to give Rs 2.50 lakh to each of such families by way of assistance. Dhanai said that the number of such families is 41 in place of 40.
Thirty five families from Kathiyaganv villages have been allotted 150 square meter land each for housing. The affected villagers from Raulakot village are demanding two tin sheds. The affected families from Raiwala Prateetnagar would get lands soon, the sub-committee informed. lands being encroached by others, the subcommittee instructed Garhwal commissioner to act on it.
Fourteen families from Badhanganv’s demanding prompt compensation, the subcommittee asked the Tehri DM to sort out the matter by convening a meeting in the next fortnight. Referring to the temple construction works in the village, THDC officials said that they would release the money on receiving the estimate.
The affected families living along Jogat Road not getting compensation, Garhwal Commissioner was asked to sort out the matter at the earliest. Bhagirathi river safety wall in Chinyalisaur being under construction, the committee instructed those concerned to expedite the construction work by increasing manpower.
It was informed that the safety wall though planned to be 1200 meter long, only 60 meter wall is under construction. THDC ED said that the river level is high, resulting in the slowing down of the pace of work.
Referring to the motor bridge, Panwar asked them to complete the construction of the bridges by the end of this financial year.
Two families from Dobhan villages being left out in the matter of compensation, DM was asked to make sure that they get compensation.
ED apprised that their survey expert committee would complete their work byOctober 20-22 and similarly, survey of Mulyadi, Sauthiyalganv and Dharamghat would be completed by the next fortnight. Forty five shopkeepers of Bhaldiyana market people being yet to get shop by way of compensation, the committee stressed on bringing the case before the convening committee shortly.
later, the cabinet subcommittee arranged affected families’ meeting with the Garhwal Commissioner, Tehri DM and THDC executive director separately. During the meeting, officials, including irrigation secretary Anand Vardhan, Garhwal Commissioner Vinod Sharma, Tehri DM Indudhar Baudai, ED THDC PPS Maan, THDC consultant DS Gupta, General Manger PK Aggarwal, DGM VK Gopte, Superintending Engineer Irrigation MC Pandy, additional secretary Devendra Paliwal, joint secretary Sunil Panthari, Rehabilitation directorate, Assistant Engineer and Tehsildar aside from the members of the affected families were present.