56 years after Indo-China war, Arunachal villagers get Rs 38 cr land compensation
Bomdila (Arunachal Pradesh), Oct 21: More than 56 years after India's war with China, villagers of Arunachal Pradesh have received nearly Rs 38 crore as compensation for the land acquired by the Army to set up its bases, bunkers and barracks.
At a special function held here, Union Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju and Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu distributed the cheques to the villagers of West Kameng district on Friday.
"A total of Rs 37.73 crore has been given to the villagers. Those were community land. So the huge amount they received will be distributed amongst the villagers," Rijiju told PTI.
Among those who received the cheques include Prem Dorjee Khrimey, who received Rs 6.31 crore, while Phuntso Khawa got Rs 6.21 crore and Khandu Glow received Rs 5.98 crore.
After the 1962 India-China war, the Army had acquired huge tracks of land to set up its bases, bunkers, barracks, construct roads, build bridges and other installations.
However, no compensation was given to the land owners till last year.
Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal Pradesh, had persuaded with the Defence Ministry and got the compensation amounts sanctioned.
"Lands acquired by the Army were done in national interest, but no government has bothered to pay the compensation to the villagers of Arunachal Pradesh since the 1960s. I am thankful to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for clearing it finally. Total cheques of Rs 37.73 crore were handed over," he said.
In April 2017, Rs 54 crore was distributed among 152 families of three villages of West Kameng district. In September that year, another instalment of Rs 158 crore was distributed among the villagers for the private land taken over by the Army.
In February 2018, Rs 40.80 crore was handed over to 31 families in Tawang district.
The pending cases of land acquisition related to the districts of Tawang, West Kameng, Upper Subansiri, Dibang Valley and West Siang in Arunachal Pradesh.
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KPTCL sets target to complete Kadandale 400 kV power substation project by July 15
Mangaluru (Karnataka) (PTI): The KPTCL has set a target to complete the strategically important Kadandale 400 kV power substation project by July 15, aiming to ensure uninterrupted and quality power supply to the coastal districts of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, officials said on Wednesday.
The target has been fixed by the KPTCL (Karnataka Power Transmission Corporation Limited) following the directions of State Energy Minister K J George, they said.
The project, located at Kadandale village in Moodbidri taluk of Dakshina Kannada district, had remained stalled for nearly three years due to land-related litigation affecting the 400 kV transmission line works, officials said.
However, the hurdles were successfully resolved through the sustained efforts of Energy Minister George and Energy Department Additional Chief Secretary Gaurav Gupta, they said.
Following the minister's directions, KPTCL Managing Director Ram Prasath Manohar visited the project site on Wednesday to review the progress of the works, according to an official statement.
"Mangaluru is one of Karnataka's key industrial hubs and requires a reliable and uninterrupted power supply. As directed by the Hon'ble Minister, we are working towards completing the project before the onset of the monsoon and commencing transmission operations at the earliest," Manohar said.
According to officials, the Kadandale 400 kV substation is expected to significantly strengthen the power infrastructure of Dakshina Kannada and Udupi districts, which are major industrial and commercial regions of the state.
Manohar said the project would provide a long-term solution to recurring monsoon-related voltage fluctuations and low-voltage issues in the coastal belt.
"The new substation will improve grid stability and ensure quality power supply to the region. In the event of a technical fault in any one station, load can be quickly diverted through this substation, enabling faster restoration of electricity supply," he explained.
To expedite completion of the project, KPTCL has planned to obtain line clearance on the existing 400 kV UPCL-Hebbanahalli transmission corridor between May 6 and May 24, 2026, the statement said.
During this period, alternative arrangements have been made to manage transmission loads and maintain supply based on demand conditions, it said.
However, officials stated that short-duration load shedding may become unavoidable under technically exigent situations.
"This project is crucial for the long-term energy security of Mangaluru and the coastal region. We request consumers and the public to extend their cooperation during this temporary operational phase," the KPTCL MD stated.
Minister George said that ensuring uninterrupted power supply for the benefit of the public and the industrial growth of the coastal region is one of the government's top priorities.
"Due to certain legal hurdles, the 400 kV transmission line work was delayed. The department has taken special initiative to resolve these obstacles. The Kadandale substation will ensure high-quality power supply for Mangaluru and Udupi regions," he said.
"The department continuously monitored the land-related disputes affecting the project and ensured timely resolution through coordinated intervention. KPTCL has been instructed to complete the works within the stipulated timeline and dedicate the project to public service at the earliest," Gupta stated.
