A Correspondent
ITANAGAR: The controversy surrounding the Dibang Multipurpose Project (DMP) dam, India’s largest hydropower project, seems never-ending as the Dibang Multipurpose Project Affected Area Committee – DMPAAC on Saturday made a series of demands to the State government regarding the proposed Rs 1,600 crore compensation to the affected people. The DMPAAC in the year 2013 has filed a petition against the executing agency, NHPC and is ready to revoke the petition if their 5-point demands are fulfilled in written form.
The demands include – there should be no cancellation/recession of awards, the fixation of different rates for trees, plants, assets, horticulture items should be as per government notification. It also included that the value of trees and plants must be as per the determined and estimated under section 28 (ii) and 29 (iii) of the LARR Act, 2013 and more.
Addressing journalists here on Saturday, legal advisor of the DMPAAC Rohit Mele said that it is very clear that the demands are made sticking to the provisions of the said act with absolutely no intention of laying down the demands or giving up for the same.
Justifying their demands, Mele said that there is no provision as such to cancel the final award by the Deputy Commissioner. The award once made under section 377 of the LARR Act is final and cannot be neglected even by the State government, he said.
He said that the law commissioner’s opinion was disregarded by the State government by issuing an order rescinding the award on December 20, 2019.
“Even the Law Commissioner, in his official note sheet of the department, has clearly mentioned that there was no relevant provision where the State government could invoke such power to revoke the award,” he said while informing that the detail was procured by the group through RTI.