SUMAN K SHRIVASTAVA
Ranchi, Nov. 23: The Lugu Pahad hydel project, being set up by the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) on the Lugu hills, is likely to meet the destiny of the Koel-Karo Project shelved by the Central Government in 2005 after long-drawn protests by tribals.
The 1500 MW hydel project has run into rough weather after the Tribal Advisory Council (a statutory body constituted under the provisions of the Fifth Schedule of the Constitution of India) of Jharkhand recommended last week disallowing the proposed construction of the Lugu Pahar hydel project in Gomia block of Bokaro district.
Chief Minister Hemant Soren, who happens to be the TAC Chairman, categorically said after the meeting, “We will not allow it to hurt the sentiments of tribals. Lugu Pahar is considered a religious heritage of the Santhal tribe and we do not want construction to hinder tribes from practising their faith.”
A senior Energy Department official today said that it is not possible now to pursue the project after the TAC recommendation.
He said that the DVC officials wanted to set up the project with the help of ‘lathis-dandas’. It is not possible these days, he maintained.
He, however, said that the Union power ministry has to take a call on it. “The State Energy department is not linked to it. We understand that the DVC has apprised the Centre of the TAC decision,” he added.
The Lugu Pahad project
The project envisages the construction of two reservoirs at different levels and a water conductor system to connect them through an underground powerhouse. The proposed project envisages the construction of a dam across Kairo jharna nala (upper dam) on Lugu Pahar and a dam across Bokaro River (lower dam) at the foothill of Lugu Pahar.
Water will be diverted from the upper reservoir through the HRT–HRT-pressure shaft to an underground powerhouse between the upper and lower reservoir to generate 1500 MW of power.
Why is Lugu Pahad important for Santhalis?
Lugu Buru is the origin place of Santhali’s culture and tradition, customs were formed under the chairmanship of Lugu Baba.
It is about 16 km far from Gomia block and is the pride of the Santhal community since the period of civilization called Sosnok Jug in Hor-dishom. Luguburu Ghantabari Dharamgarh was re-established in the year 2000.
Then every year religious gathering is held at Darbar Chatani under the foot hill of Luguburu in the lap of the famous Lugu hill series (The second highest hill series of Jharkhand) and surrounded by Jharkhand’s famous river Damodar and small hilly rivers Katail and Sadabahar, situated in the north side of Tenughat Dam.
On Kartik Purnima a famous Mela of Santhalis is organized there and Santhal tribals from all over India use to go there to offer prayer to their God Lugu Baba.
This year too, the chief minister has been invited to attend the International Sarna Religion mega conference to be held on November 26-27.
Why was the Koel-Karo project shelved?
The Koel-Karo project was initiated by the then Bihar government in 1973 with the objective of harnessing the Koel and Karo rivers, to produce hydroelectric power. In 1980, the National Hydroelectric Corporation (NHPC) was given the task of building dams on the two rivers.
However, ever since its announcement, the project was vehemently opposed by the tribals in the Gumla, Ranchi and Singhbhum districts.
Although the government offered to resettle the affected villages, the tribals did not accept the package.
When the government used police forces in July 1984 to go ahead with the project, the tribals retaliated by boycotting the police personnel. They were not allowed to set up their camps and no daily provisions were sold to them making their day-to-day existence difficult.
For some years, the project remained in limbo. But in 1995, it was again revived with the announcement that the then Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao would be laying the foundation stone.
It was during this time that the agitation against the project reached its peak.
More than 30,000 people, mostly tribals, participated in a massive rally against the project on July 5, 1995. The police had to open fire on the protesters and eight people were killed. Rao then cancelled his visit and the foundation stone laying was postponed.
The Koel Karo Jan Sangathan then passed a resolution that it would have no further talks on resettlement.
Ultimately, the central government announced in 2005 that it was not going ahead with the Koel Karo project.
