Doyang: Land Owners Union (LOU), Doyang Hydro Electric Plant (DHEP) has appealed to the government of Nagaland being one of the stakeholder and the guardian of the state’s welfare, to mediate with appropriate authorities of the Union government against disinvestment/selling of DHEP to any private entities, as per the tripartite agreement signed between the Nagaland government, North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) and Land Owners Union, Doyang Hydro Electric Plant (DHEP).
Rhanbemo Odyuo, President, Land Owners Union, DHEP and P. Roland Ezung, General Secretary, Land Owners Union, DHEP stated that the government of Nagaland and the Land Owners had a number of negotiations to arrive at setting up of Doyang Hydro Electric Plant and hand over to NEEPCO Ltd by the 17 land affected villages through an agreement of land acquisition signed on 28th February 1984 with an area of 8,420.41 acres of land. The land affected villages of DHEP has also agreed to part with any cultivable land solely for the development of power project of NEEPCO Limited and not to any corporation or private agencies.
Similarly, the NEEPCO Limited, government of Nagaland and affected land owners of the area entered into an agreement for setting up of Doyang Hydro Electric Plant over the river Doyang, with the capacity of 75MW (3×25) with the objective to augment the power needs of the state for a period of 99 years lease. Accordingly, the Doyang Hydro Electric Plant was commissioned in the year 2000 and dedicated to the nation on 2nd March 2002.
It may be mentioned that after harnessing the power by NEEPCO Limited for 44 years, meeting the needs of the power starved state of Nagaland, the Government of India disinvested 100% share of NEEPCO Limited to National Thermal Power Co-operation Limited (NTPC LTD) for an amount of Rs 4000 Crore on March 2020 without the knowledge and consent of Government of Nagaland and the stakeholders of Doyang Hydro Electric Plant. LOU, DHEP stated that the unilateral decision of the Union Government clearly violated the agreement signed between the three parties.
As per the latest update, NTPC Limited has set a target with the ministry of Power, Government of India to generate 15000 Crore by disinvestment plan, which includes disinvestment and privatization of NEEPCO limited by March 2024 including Doyang Hydro Electric Plant.
Land Owners Union (LOU), DHEP strongly express that such drastic and adverse policy of disinvestment and privatization of NEEPCO Limited by NTPC Limited will directly impinge on the rights, privileges, employment opportunities and other benefits that are offered to the land affected populace in lieu of the thousands of acres of land handed over by the affected land owners for the construction of power project.
Further the Union pointed out that, presently appointment and engagement of the local employees of Doyang Hydro Electric Plant are mainly a compensatory appointment against the loss of cultivable land for construction and establishment of Doyang Project.
Land Owners Union (LOU), DHEP stated that the land and its resources are inalienable rights of the local people as invested upon the people of Nagaland by the unassailable constitutional provision envisaged under Article 371 A of the Indian Constitution. The Union has therefore objected that the disinvestment policy by the NTPC Limited shall impinge on the rights as guaranteed by Article 371 A.
To safeguard the signed agreement and the rights and welfare of the land affected villages, LOU, DHEP strongly object and demand to withdraw the disinvestment/privatization of Doyang Hydro Electric Plant which is against the interest and breach of trust with the 17 land affected villages of DHEP by NEEPCO Limited and Government of Nagaland.
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