Imphal: The Manipur Cabinet has approved the closure of the 66 MW Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Project and decided to wind up the Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporation Limited (LDHCL), bringing an end to a project that had faced years of opposition over its environmental and social impact.
The decision was taken at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Wednesday at the Cabinet Hall of the New Secretariat in Mantripukhri.
According to sources, the state government decided to scrap the hydropower project in view of long-standing concerns raised by local communities and civil society organisations over environmental degradation, submergence of agricultural land and questions surrounding the project’s economic viability.
The proposed project, with a planned generation capacity of 66 MW, was to be developed on the Leimatak River spanning Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts. It was being implemented through the Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporation Limited, a joint venture between NHPC Ltd, which held a 74 per cent stake, and the Manipur government, which owned the remaining 26 per cent.
The Cabinet also approved the payment of stipends to foreign medical graduates undergoing internship at the Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) and Churachandpur Medical College. The stipend will be on par with that paid to Indian medical graduates, officials said.
Following the meeting, Chief Minister Khemchand said the Cabinet deliberated on several policy matters and development initiatives aimed at improving governance and public welfare.
“We deliberated on key policy matters and strategic initiatives to strengthen governance, accelerate development and advance the welfare of the people. We remain committed to delivering transparent, responsive and people-centric governance for a stronger and more prosperous Manipur,” the Chief Minister said in a post on social media.
Although the Cabinet meeting’s agenda reportedly included 13 items, it was not immediately clear whether all of them were discussed or if any additional decisions were taken.