Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief
Minister Jarbom Gamlin has urged the Centre to give
environmental clearances to a number of hydro power projects,
the ambitious Trans Arunachal Highway project and others for
speeding up their execution.
Calling on Minister of State (Independent Charge) for
Environment and Forests Jayanthi Natarajan in New Delhi
yesterday, Gamlin briefed the minister about the long pending
forest clearances for the Trans-Arunachal Highway as well as
for various power projects, official sources said here today.
The delay in obtaining forest clearances have not only
resulted in unsettling the planning but would lead to
inevitable time and cost overruns, he told Natarajan.
"In order to reduce dependence of the state government
on central assistance, development of hydro power is essential
as it would provide a great opportunity for boosting the
state’s own revenues," Gamlin said.
The power projects would develop infrastructure and
create employment and also help reduce dependence of the local
populace on forest resources, he added.
Assuring full cooperation in the matter, Natarajan
assured Gamlin and Setong Sena, state Minister for Environment
and Forests who accompanied the CM, that her ministry will
look into the matter urgently.
Gamlin, who is currently in New Delhi, also called on
various other central ministers like Ghulam Nabi Azad (Health)
and KV Thomas (Mos, Consumer Affairs, Food and Public
Distribution) to apprise them of the special developmental
support needs of the state and sought their cooperation.
PTI
