HT Bureau
DIPHU, July 12: The Joint Action Committee for Protection of Autonomy (JCCPA) has opposed the setting of the proposed installation of the mega solar power plant in 18,000 bighas of land in Lahorijan area in Karbi Anglong district by APDCL.
In a press conference convened here at the District Press Club of Karbi Anglong office, the convenor, JCCPA, Khorsing Teron said they had submitted a memorandum to chief executive member (CEM), KAAC, Tuliram Ronghang on Tuesday to reconsider the KAAC decision for the proposed installation of mega solar power plant by APDCL.
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It may be mentioned that on June 30 the CEM had said that the KAAC has allotted 18,000 bighas of land in Lahorijan, Karbi Anglong district to APDCL for installation of solar power plant. The CEM had also mentioned that initial work had begun.
Going by the memorandum, Teron said the allotment of land to APDCL will go down in the history of Karbi Anglong as the worst decision ever taken by KAAC.
Teron said, “Under paragraph 3 ((1) (a) of the Sixth Schedule to the constitution of India which clearly stated that ‘allotment, occupation or use or setting apart of land… for the purposes or for any other purposes likely to promote the interests of the inhabitants of any village or town’. But the solar power plant is not going to promote the interests of the inhabitants of the village or town that fall within the 18000 bighas of land.”
Teron further said it is in the constitutional, legal and administrative responsibility of the KAAC to promote tribal interests and protect their land in Karbi Anglong. “But it appears that the interest of APDCL is given more priority,” he added.
The general secretary, JCCPA, Rabindra Rongpi said, “We won’t oppose it if it was on wasteland or uncultivable land. But the land where the solar power plant is going to be installed is fertile and it is cultivable land.”
The Ministry of Power, Coal, New and Renewable Energy’s press release encourages the installation of solar power plants on wasteland. But the site of the proposed solar power plant is not on waste land, there is greenery and installation of a solar power plant will definitely be an environmental issue as trees and plants would be cleared for the purpose. The KAAC authority should take the installation of the proposed solar power plant into serious reconsideration, Rongpi said.
