The 540 MW Amochhu Reservoir Hydro Electric Project will begin only after the people affected by the project have been compensated, the Prime Minister Jigmi Y. Thinley assured the people.
Lyonchhoen met with the affected people from Samtse and Chhukha yesterday at Tading Gewog.
He said if people not forthcoming, the project will not commence. “If you feel and agree that such project is not needed then we will leave it. But when we take such a step, we have to think about the loss we will incur in future.” Lyonchhoen said they should weigh the pros and cons of the project for the gewog, dzongkhag and self sufficiency goal of the country.
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The Amochhu Reservoir Hydro Electric Project will begin only after the people affected by the project have been compensated.”
Prime Minister
Royal Government of Bhutan
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The local leaders from the five affected gewogs said the people are worried if they will get timely and fair compensation for their loss.
According to the Land Act 2009, depending on their choice, affected families to be compensated, will be paid monetarily or given land substitution. Most villagers wanted land to be substituted from within their chiwog or gewog.
An official from the National Land Commission said provided that there is government land in the place the displaced families’ desire, substitution within their chiwog or gewog is possible as per the Land Act.
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The Agriculture Minister, Dr. Pema Gyamtsho, said the ministry will help the displaced villagers to convert the substitute lands into cultivable lands. “We will provide irrigation canals and for those whose lands cannot be cultivated, we will help them with cattle raising programmes.”
Apart from the compensation and substitution, affected families will be entitled to benefits like free electricity of 100 units for a decimal of land each year.
The Amochhu Reservoir Hydro Electric Project will affect 276 households with 1,726 families, from five gewogs under Chhukha and Samtse.
