Wokha (Nagaland), March 19: Dogged by both man-made and natural calamities, the much-delayed NEEPCO Doyang Hydro-electric Power Project has received another jolt when NSCN (I-M) recently demanded Rs 1.50 crore from the power unit as 'tax'.

A letter issued by former NSCN (I-M) armed wing chief VS Atem, asked the public sector power generating company to pay Rs 1.50 crore before commissioning the 75 MW project in Nagaland's Wokha district, bordering Assam's Golaghat district.

However, it could not be confirmed whether any deal has been agreed upon between the banned outfit and the NEEPCO, but the matter was brought to the notice of both Nagaland government and Union Home ministry, intelligence sources said.

Due to continuous disruptions by both militants and petty anti-socials and natural calamities, coupled with remoteness, the power project already got delayed resulting huge cost-over-run, NEEPCO sources said.

Earlier slated for commissioning in mid-nineties, NEEPCO decided to run the first unit (25MW) in November-December 1998. But the energy unit received a serious set-back when swelling water of Doyang submerged the vital installations, damaging plants and machines-in August 1998.

After the mishap, NEEPCO decided to commissioned all the three units (3 x 25 MW) together by March 2000, but it will take another one year for commissioning of the power project.

NEC is keen to ensure commissioning of Doyang project, located about 50 km from Wokha town, in the first quarter of 2001 and asked NEEPCO to main "strict project control."

NEC financial adviser who yesterday visited the project site, put the revised project cost at Rs 758 crore and said the council sanctioned Rs 100 crore from its plan budget during the current year.

Adviser Gautam Sen said power evacuation line laid by Power Grid is ready and transmission possible only after the commissioning of Doyang hydel project.

The adviser, who also met the state government officials at Kohima, urged Nagaland government and other law enforcing agencies to ensure that no hurdles come in the way of commissioning as well as operating the power project.

"Of late, law-and-order situation in the area has remained a matter of concern and NEEPCO CMD had already brought it to the notice of Chief Minister SC Jamir," Sen said.

Cost of power generation from the unit is already spurring and further delay or obstacle in running the project would make it difficult for the potential purchasers because of cost factor, the adviser pointed out.

Continuing disruptions by militants in north-east electricity projects already drew attention of regions power ministers. North Eastern Regional Electricity Board (NEREB) in its two last meetings at Agartala and Kohima expressed concern over the matter. All the power ministers of the region in a joint letter to the Chief Ministers of respective NE states called for adequate security measures in and around the power projects.

Meanwhile, Nagaland power minister K Therie recently told newsmen that the killing of NHPC senior executive at Loktak power station in Manipur triggered a sense of panic among power workers in the militancy-ridden states of the region.

In view of the threat perception, Tharia said, additional personnel of Nagaland Armed Police (NAP) have been deployed in the ongoing 24 MW Likimro hydel project in Tuensang district.

He also said the government is contemplating to trifurcate generation, transmission and distribution of power in the state and private sector will be invited to take over the distribution task.

The government also contemplated to hand over the charge of tariff collection in rural areas to village councils and village development boards (VDBs), the minister disclosed.

Regarding the on-going Likimro hydel project, Therie said all efforts are being made for timely commissioning of the plant. Similarly efforts are also being made to kick-start the proposed 24 MW Dimapur Thermal Power Plant for which feedstocks will be transported from Numaligarh Refinery, he said.

Central Electricity Authority (CEA) has already approved the detailed feasibility report (DFR) submitted by the state government, the minister said, adding the centre is being approached to fund the project as no private investors are keen to park their money in the project even as tenders ware floated by the power department.

He said the government is going to constitute a "task force" very soon so that the proposed thermal plant can be completed as early as possible. The project cost of the Dimapur thermal plant has been estimated at Rs 87 crore.

Agartala, March 24: The growing trend of attacking officials within their office premises has caused panic among the Government employees in Tripura. The security forces are worried as the militants are striking in the high security zones and none of the militants have been arrested so far.

Wednesday's attack on Mr Sanjib Purkayastha, sub zonal officer of the Autonomous District Council, in his office in the ADC headquarters, Khamalung has once again exposed the loopholes of the security arrangements. The militants left the area after the operation without any resistance.

Mr Purkayastha was working in his office when three militants went there on the pretext of enquiring about some bill. He got suspicious when they asked him to give them motor cycle. One of them took the key and went out. The other two demanded money from him. They took out pistols and fired at him when he refused. All three fled with the motor cycle. The ADC headquarters is considered to be a high security zone and virtually encircled by security forces. The headquarters of the 14 Bn CRPF is also situated within its complex. But the militants faced no resistance.

Mr Purkayastha, son of the senior CPI(M) leader from Khowai was shifted to GB Hospital. He was taken to Calcutta later for better treatment. Police suspect that the NLFT might have attacked him to scare away the Bengali employees from the ADC.

It also may be in retaliation to the killing of a tribal TCS officer Sukram Debbarma, subdivisional officer of Sadar. He was assassinated by suspected Bengali militants on February 5 in front of his office. The Sadar SDO office is situated between the State Secretariat and the police headquarters.

Last year militants attacked Government offices twice. One person was killed and 12 panchayat secretaries were abducted from the Manu BDO office in Dhalai district and another one was killed in the Panchay at office at Bishalghar for hoisting the national flag on Independence Day.

Agartala, March 26: Prolonged insurgency coupled with an economic blockade enforced by militants in the interior areas, have started taking a heavy toll on tribal lives.

Seven tribals have died of starvation in Ganganagar and its nearby areas under the rebel-infested Gandacherra sub-division overthe past fortnight. Official sources could not confirm the deaths saying it would take a few days as they might have died of diseases. When pointed out that the diseases might have been caused by starvation and consumption of wild roots, they maintained a stony silence.

However, Tripura Upajati Juba Samity general ecretary Rabindra Debbarma who represents the crisis-ridden Ganganagar, Gandacherra areas as MLA, confirmed the deaths saying, "There is a severe food crisis in the area and by now more than seven persons may have died." Debbarma, who had recently toured the area, attributed the starvation deaths to the onset of annual lean season and food crisis, failure of the government to provide relief and assistance and also insurgency.

Nagendra Reang, former chair person of the development committee in Gandacherra, said over the past fortnight, altogether seven impoverished tribals have died of starvation.

On March 14, two Chakma tribesmen of Haripur colony village, Gunadhar Chakma and Subal Chakma, died of prolonged starvation. They had resorted to eating bamboo shoots and wild potatoes and surviving by selling firewood. The tribals could not even harvest jhum (shifting cultivation) crops for fear of m ilitants and were also deprived of government assistance. They had fallen ill on March 2 and finally died on March 14 without any treatment.

Similarly, Kalabi Chakma and Kadari Chakma of nearby Uttam Chakma colony starved for 10 days from February 29 before dying on March 12.

Sources said three tribals died of sustained starvation in the remote and rebel-infested Ganganagar area. They have been identified as Manikjay Reang, Kotiram Tripura and Golbandha Tripura -- all of whom died between March 13 and 15.

Reang and Kotiram were surviving on the meagre income from the sale of firewood. But from the first week of March, they found it impossible to collect firewood from the denuded forests because of threats from militants who demanded tax for allowing them to cut trees in the reserve forest. They died on March 13.

Golbandha Tripura, who lived alone in a house near Ganganagar market died in similar circumstances on March 15.

Sources in Gandacherra said January to April is a trying time for tribal jhumias as they can harvest their crop only in April. Apart from rapid deforestation which stands in the way of good jhum crops, insurgency has made matters worse. The government and Autonomous District Council cannot implement schemes for poverty alleviation and assistance for tribals during the crisis.

This has been happening over the past seven years. On paper, money is being sanctioned and schemes implemented but people at the grassroots receive nothing, said Pakhi Tripura, a social worker in Gandacherra. But the militants have dealt a blow to impoverished tribals by imposing a ban on jhum crops unless tax in cash is cleared in advance.

Last year, a large number of shifting cultivators could not harvest their crops because of the militantsf ban. Official sources in Gandacherra said altogether 780 tribal families have moved out of their home and taken shelter in inhospitable areas close to Gandacherra, Ambasa Road and near the camps of security forces.