Imphal, January 31 2009: At long last, the environmental clearance for the proposed Tipaimukh Multipurpose Power Project with power generating capacity of 1500 Megawatt has been given by the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest though the public hearing which could not conducted successfully in some places is likely to be repeated.

After the foundation stone of the project had been laid at the site by Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde in 2007 and an Expert Appraisal Committee led by former Union Secretary of Power Abraham conducted public hearings including at the dam site, the Ministry has finally given the environmental clearance for taking up mega project in December last year, according to an official source.

While informing that the State Government has also forwarded all the required clarifications to the Expert Committee with regard to the apprehension raised on the effect of the proposed project, the official source added that now only the green signal of the Union Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on sanctioning the project is being awaited to go ahead with the implementation of the controversy mired project.

The environmental clearance that the Ministry has given is only for the Manipur side of the project and that of the Mizoram side is yet to be cleared, the source disclosed, adding that fresh public hearings is required in case of Mizoram. Public hearing on the project is also likely to be repeated in some place where the Manipur Pollution Control Board could the accomplished the task successfully, the source further disclosed.

Subsequent to the damage caused to the drilling machine HPC (D) of NEEPCO that was kept at the project site for the purpose of surveying, resurvey had been carried out last year along with providing security by the State Government, the source conveyed.

Among the respondents of the global tender issued by NEEPCO in connection with taking up the project, there are companies from Japan and China which applied, the source added.

It may be noted here that 12 percent of the power generated from the project is to be received by Manipur free of cost.

The State Government is also considering setting up of a waterway highway upto Tipaimukh.

The report of the a spot assessment on the security requirement of the project conducted by IG (Law and Order)-II C Doungel has also been submitted to the Centre.

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