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Published on
March 19, 2020
March 7, 2023
Edited on
March 19, 2020
The Kameng Hydro Electric Power Project in West Kameng district is a run-off water scheme that will directly utilise the water flow from the Bichom and Tenga rivers to generate 600 megawatt of electricity. The project is being undertaken by the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO). The total cost was initially estimated at INR 2,496 crore but was later revised to INR 7,927.34 crore.
According to a memorandum submitted to the chief minister on November 26, 2019, by the Aka Elite Society (AES), people in five villages - Bichom, Buragaon, Kimi, Khuppi and Yayung - comprising more than 500 families, have lost their agricultural lands to the project site and to the Power House Complex “without any compensation”. This, the AES claims, is on the “pretext” of the land falling under reserve forest. The memorandum states that the land has been “under the possession of our ancestors since time immemorial”.
In lieu of money, the members of the Hrusso Aka and Bugun communities, the dominant tribes in the affected villages, had put forth two demands to NEEPCO: good road connectivity from Pinjoli village to Bichom (92 kilometres) and Grade C and D jobs under the Union government. Neither demand has been fulfilled till date.
When LCW spoke to the project-affected persons (PAPs), they said they did not oppose the project in the hope of better road connectivity, education and healthcare, as promised by NEEPCO officials. “We were promised good roads long ago. We do not have any issue with heavily loaded trucks transporting material for the project, but it has made our roads non-motorable. Who will take responsibility? Neither the state nor the NEEPCO officials are responding,” a resident of Buragaon told LCW.
The memorandum claimed that every time the PAPs asserted their demand for jobs, NEEPCO responded by saying that the Ministry of Power and the Supreme Court had “banned” recruitment.
The foundation stone of the project was laid in 2002. In the past 18 years, there have been multiple rounds of dialogue between the PAPs and both NEEPCO and state offcials, but the primary demands of the people for roads and jobs have remained unfulfilled, even though NEEPCO did build rehabilitation and resettlement colonies.
The AES has been leading negotiations and protests and raising awareness about the promises made by NEEPCO and their right to fair compensation.
On February 10, 2020, Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, which has been tasked with operating the turbine, officially started operations of two units of 4x150 megawatt of the hydroelectric project. It is reported to be the largest unit rating (150 megawatt) for hydropower generating sets in the state. Not only were the units launched amidst ongoing protests but the PAPs also did not know about its operations.
In January 2021, the plant was fully commissioned with the commissioning of its third unit, after units 2 and 3 were commissioned in June and July 2020.
Demand for promised compensation
Demand for rehabilitation
Demand for employment
Road connectivity
Rural
Common and Private
Forest and Non-Forest
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)
Status of Project
Original Project Deadline
Whether the Project has been Delayed
Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users
Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict
Source/Reference
Total investment involved (in Crores):
₹
7927.34
Type of investment:
Revised Investment
Year of Estimation
2012
Page Number In Investment Document:
Has the Conflict Ended?
No
When did it end?
Why did the conflict end?
Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict
Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Environmental Laws, Land Acquisition Laws
Legislations/Policies Involved
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Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.
Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute
What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?
What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?
Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:
Controversial land acquisition by the government
Non-rehabilitation of displaced people
Violation of free prior informed consent
Non-payment of compensation/promised compensation
Legal Status:
Out of Court
Status of Case In Court
Whether any adjudicatory body was approached
Name of the adjudicatory body
Name(s) of the Court(s)
Case Number
Main Reasoning/Decision of court
Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:
Whether criminal law was used against protestors:
Reported Details of the Violation:
Date of Violation
Location of Violation
Nature of Protest
Complaints/petitions/letters/memorandums to officials
Protests/marches
Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:
Ministry of Power
PSUs Involved in the Conflict:
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited
Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?
Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached
Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:
Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?
Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:
Aka Elite Society, All Bugun Society
What was the action taken by the police?
How many people did the police detain or arrest?
What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
Did the person face any violence while in police custody?
If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?
If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?
Legislation under which the accused was charged
Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?
In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?
Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?
Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?
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