Update 1: Dams:the Damned!

Now that we know our potential, 3 and a half hydro power projects per month. So does that imply we need to build Dams after another.

Getting back to the statistics, The economically exploitable hydropower potential in India through various schemes of Dam has been assessed to be at a staggering figure of 84,044MW at 60 percent load factor- which is about 148,000 MW installed capacity.
The North East part of India has the biggest share in it, with estimated 59,000MW capacity. And Arunachal Pradesh has its Lion share of more than 50,000MW. Thats a whopping figure and hard to digest fact, given the seismic vulnerability of this region.
Mind it, the whole North East region is categorized under seismic 5 zone of India.

How the whole thing started ?
In may 2003, the Prime Minister of India launched the "50,000MW Hydroelectric Intiative.(courtesy :Indiahydro). Through this initiative, pre-feasibility reports for 162 new hydroelectric projects across 16 states with proposed capacity of over 50,000MW are to be implemented by the end of 12th five year plan(2017).
Some more comparative statistics:
1. 162 projects in 16 states for 50,000MW initiative, thats the envisaged plans.
2. 72 out of this 162 in North east itself, with total capacity of 31,885MW.
3. 42 schemes within Arunachal Pradesh, with 27,293 MW capacity.

No wonder, Arunachal certainly epitomizes the mini power house for the entire nation, and an obvious ruling, the centre of attraction for the Big hydro power players.

How can politics be left behind, isn't it ?



April 2005 : PM announces the North East Water Resource Authority on the line of the US tennessee valley authority ( know them ?)as an Independent corporation. TVA had the world bank's support.
All the 6 other states of NE accepted the draft, except for the Arunachal Pradesh. AP govt, feared that this would ultimately place the rights to river systems under TVA.
November 2005: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister , Gegong Apang comes up with the state's Hydro power policy to counter that.

Apang government invites Private players to the states with their proposals for Dams. On the other hand there was NHPC(National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) one of the biggest public sector in India, which was losing its projects, supposed to be alloted by Central govt.

Within short span of time, many projects were surfacing. The year 2005-06, saw 5 mega projects with Detail Project Reports being placed, and all of them Private companies.
They were namely : Tato-II(700MW) & Siyom(1000mw) --Reliance Energy
Hirong(500mw) & Lower Siang(1600mw) -- Jaypee associates
Naying (1000mw) -- DS construction

What next, Within a year, 9 new agreements were also placed on the table, totalling a capacity of 4425mw. Companies sharing this were Bhilwara, Mountain fall, KSK electricity Financing & GMR Energy.

The public sector comapanies (NHPC, NEEPCO etc) were soon losing the battle to grab their pie.

Ousting Apang, as the CM was the only probable solution that they could see. With Congress in power at the Centre, a political turmoil in Arunachal Pradesh was expected.
Finally, Gegong Apang had to quit as CM in 2007. We were supposed to make guesses that maybe, misappropriation of wealth, not so new for Apang, could be the reason for this change in Chief ministership.
Well, we by now, should know who did this. And no prizes for guessing!!
Power minister during Apang's regime, Dorjee Khandu was appointed the new Chief minister. Things would go smooth for NHPC from now on, thats something expected nothwithstanding.

Thats the problem with our mindset - Arunachali mindset or Indian mindset. We give up easily.
But, I know NHPC won't have it that easily from Dibang valley people.

So much for the sake of NHPC, our votes doesn't count. Ya, where's our vote ? Hmmm... thats the uncanny part of being in a democracy plagued by corrupted people, who sell their own people just for the sake of some amount.
Or maybe our Oldies are so much worried about their political career. Ya, they inspire us, Career is everything even when its time to retire and rest. We should rest, and not let other rest.


Will update later.