downtoearth-subscribe

Turbulent times

1955: Project survey conducted

1960: Infrastructure work begins

1973: Bihar government prepares detailed project report

1975: Land acquisition starts, so do Jan Sangharsh Samiti protests

1976: Koel Karo Jan Sangathan (KKJS) is formed under the leadership of Moses Gudia, a schoolteacher

1977-78: KKJS initiates kam roko andolan and constructs barricades in the villages. Work is stalled

1980: State government gives the green light to the project. Agreement reached between all parties, including KKJS, for a socio-economic survey of the affected villages

1981: Project gets cabinet nod. NHPC field office set up in Torpa. Bihar constitutes directorate for land acquisition and rehabilitation

1982: Environmental clearance given

1984: Supreme Court (SC) stops land acquisition process. Government deploys security personnel near project site, but has to remove them in the face of severe protests

1985: Government agrees to KKJS proposal on model villages, but fails to deliver

1986: Bihar government submits rehabilitation and relocation plan before SC

1989: SC orders employment for a member of every displaced household and implementation of rehabilitation plan

1990: Forest cleared for project

1995: Bihar government's announcement that P V Narasimha Rao would inaugurate project on July 5 sparks massive protests. Rao cancels plan

1998: Environmental clearance is revoked in September, but given back in December with conditions of revision of rehabilitation and relocation plan as well as submission of a catchment area treatment plan

2000: Catchment area treatment plan accepted

2001: In January, state government and Union ministry of environment and forests agree on revised relocation and rehabilitation scheme. In February, eight persons die in Tapkara police firing. In March, Union government okays revised rehabilitation and relocation plan

2002: In February, KKJS boycotts meeting called by Jharkhand power minister. In May, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) says the project has been struck off the programme implementation department's list. The department on the other hand, says the project has only been frozen.

  • Tags:

Related Content