Subhash Mahajan
Chamba
Deputy Commissioner Mukesh Repaswal chaired a meeting of the monitoring committee at the DC office today to review relief and rehabilitation matters concerning families affected by NHPC’s Chamera Stage–III hydroelectric project.
During the meeting, the DC directed officials to expedite the process of providing employment to project-affected persons under the rehabilitation and resettlement policy. He instructed that lists of eligible candidates for vacant worker-category posts be obtained immediately from Gram Panchayat heads, ensuring job opportunities for deserving individuals.
NHPC officials were asked to submit detailed information about vacant posts and their eligibility criteria to the administration before filling them. Repaswal also sought a list of contractual employees due to retire within the next six months to one year.
Expressing concern over the plight of families in landslide-affected Muchka village, the DC directed the Sub-Divisional Officer (Civil), Chamba, to identify alternative rehabilitation sites to provide them safe housing. He further instructed NHPC to extend monthly pensions of ₹1,000 to disabled persons, widows, and other vulnerable members of affected families, wherever provisions exist.
On environmental management, Repaswal emphasized the need to establish small waste disposal plants in project areas. He said solid waste collected from adjoining panchayats should be processed scientifically in these plants to improve sanitation and reduce pollution. He also directed that doctors be deployed as required at the Community Health Centre in Holi or the Primary Health Centre in Garola to ensure uninterrupted healthcare services for locals.
Project managers of Chamera Stage–III, Kuthed Hydro Project, and Holi–Bajoli Project presented detailed reports on environmental management, including catchment area treatment, compensatory afforestation, green belt development, biodiversity conservation, fishery management, quarry site restoration, disaster management, dumping site regulation, and solid waste management.
The meeting was attended by Assistant Commissioner Aparajita Chandel, SDM Priyanshu Khati, Additional General Manager Prashant Trivedi, Regional Executive Officer Rahul Sharma, and senior officials from various projects.
