ZEESHAN JAWED
A villager in Chapna points to one of the pits dug by Hidco workers on Sunday to try and install electricity towers.
A Hidco team engaged in a hush-hush night operation to install electricity towers in New Town was forced to beat a hasty retreat early on Sunday when villagers stalling the project over land compensation got wind of their plan.
It was the 15th time that Hidco has attempted — and failed — to put up the three high-tension towers necessary to transmit electricity to Action Areas II and III from the power station at Akandakeshari in Rajarhat. The site is at Chapna, around 8km from Salt Lake.
Sources said a villager who had woken up early spotted workers digging pits on the outskirts of the village around 5am. “He immediately alerted people at the village and 300 of us gathered at the site. Around 100 police personnel were guarding the workers and Hidco officials but they didn’t dare stop us,” said Iman Ali Mollah, a 45-year-old farmer.
The workers, who had started the operation around midnight, had dug four pits by the time the villagers arrived. At least five trucks laden with cement, stone chips and iron rods were stationed at the site but the bulk of the consignment apparently went back unused.
An official who was in the Hidco team confirmed trying to “dodge the villagers” by working “while they were asleep”.
“This being winter, almost all villagers are in bed by midnight. So we decided to start work after midnight. We were laying the foundation for the towers when the villagers came to know about the operation,” said the official.
Villagers of Chapna have been resisting the installation of electricity towers on grounds of inadequate compensation for fertile land. Many of those who have parted with land for the development of infrastructure at New Town accuse Hidco of forcing them to sell plots at lower than market rates.
“When the price of the land in the adjoining area runs into lakhs per cottah, why should we settle for Rs 13,000? We demand compensation at prevailing rates,” said farmer Rashid Mondal.
But Hidco has ruled out reviewing the land deals. “We acquired these plots in 2004. So the villagers cannot stop us from carrying out work at the site. We haven’t used force till now but how long can this continue? So many companies are unable to start their operations because of lack of power supply,” said Prodyut Biswas, the general manager of Hidco.
Displacement of families because of the electricity towers is another reason for villagers opposing Hidco. Around 80 families will have to move out of their residences once the towers come up.
