Shimla/Udaipur: In a bid to save water resources from being ruined by a hydel project, villagers from Lahaul Spiti district are again up in arms against the government and company executing the project.
A senior delegation from the Sheli Project Sangarsh Samiti (SPSS) and Gramin Yuva Sanghathan (NGO) of Lahaul Spiti met Former MP Pratibha Singh and Youth Leader Vikramaditya Singh at Holly lodge (Private Residence of Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh) and submitted a memorandum against Forceful Land Acquisition demanded scrapping of the project. The delegation comprised of Convener Sudershan Thakur and Senior members of Sangarsh Samiti Surinder Deol and Virender Thakur.
Condemning efforts of the state government to favour the 400 MW Sheli hydro-electric power project at Sheli near Madgram village and forceful land acquisition of Tribal Peoples, protesting villagers said Previous BJP Government of Himachal Pradesh allocated this Project to Moser Baer Company against wishes of local residents. The project was surveyed in 2011 and the residents had been opposing it since then. That Govt of HP has issued notification under Section 4 of Land Acquisition Act when District is under thick cover of snow.
Sudershan Thakur, convener Sheli Project Sangarsh Samiti (SPSS) said that “we are not against development but Govt must take care of Tribal peoples and their legal and constitutional rights. Local Panchayats passed a resolution at Gram Sabha Meeting against Private Company and signed copy is submitted to Government”
Thakur accused that “despite people agitation Government sanctioned four big projects to private corporates at Udaipur and tindi panchayats which will be ecology disaster in Lahaul spiti and issued notification under section 4 of Land Acquisition Act for 400 MW Moser Baer Sheli Project but we are capable to fight injustice towards Tribal people till end”
Senior member of Sangarsh Samiti Surinder Deol said Himachal Pradesh government in its cabinet decision decided to withdraw permission to all those hydroelectric projects which were being opposed by local people but the policy was not being put to practice.
Members of the Sheli Project Sangarsh Samiti (SPSS) and Gramin Yuva Sanghathan (GYS) have demanded scrapping of the project and threatened to launch an agitation if action was not taken.
