It is a great shame and a technical disaster on the part of the Power Department, Nagaland on not being able to run and manage a mere 24 MW Likhimro Hydro Electric Plant and inviting tender to private parties to run the small power plant. Nowadays, with the latest control system, it is possible to manage even big capacity plants with only a handful of technically competent and experienced engineers.
With so many Diploma and graduate electrical engineers under its disposal, the power department should be able to manage the Likhimro Power Plant. Instead of giving write ups in local papers about drying up of ponds in electrical colony and giving mere facts and figures on load shedding because of low reservoir level, the electrical engineers should be packed off to Likhimro and start the plant and supply the much needed electricity. What’s the point in them sitting in office doing only paper works when they have been groomed to become technical engineers? Leave the paper works to the clerks and let the competent engineers be on the field. If they are not able to run the show they should be given force VRS and stop calling themselves engineers and give away to much brighter engineers. It is a drain of taxpayer’s money if the power department is not able to supply its products to the consumers after investing so much.
The Likhimro Hydel project got CCEA clearance on 18-10-1989 and the commissioning schedule was 1993-94. The initial estimated cost was Rs.33.04 crores. After a time over run of 9 years and cost over run of Rs.182 crores, the project was commissioned in 2002-03. After it was commissioned, the plant ran for a few months only before the turbine got damaged.
The reason was that the highly sophisticated Rs.200 crores, 24MW power plant was being looked after by a watchman only. Is this not a crime on the part of the Electrical Department? Somebody has owed moral responsibility for such negligence. What was the project manager doing? Was he sleeping over such an important assignment? The public should file a PIL against the Department instead of just remaining mute. The land owners after sacrificing their land in the hope of getting electricity and for the welfare of the state should seek justice for zero returns.
A challenge is given to the department to operate the power plant on its own instead of seeking external support. Otherwise, it will be like buying fruits from your own field on which you have toiled and sowed the seeds.
Kilen, Half Nagarjan
Dimapur
