Free power to every home in Arunachal possible: CM

He was responding to a private member's resolution raised in State Legislative Assembly

Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki today said free power to every home is possible if people facilitate speedy execution of all ongoing hydro-power projects in the state.

The Chief Minister's assertion came in the backdrop of mass public protest on various upcoming hydro projects in the state.

Tuki was responding to a private member's resolution raised in the Legislative Assembly by Congress member Tapuk Taku urging the state government to formulate a concrete policy for smooth and systematic function of various wings of the power department to overcome power crisis and other administrative shortfall.

Admitting the dismal power scenario of the state, the Chief Minister said the reason for power crisis was because the state government failed to tap even one per cent of the 55,000 mega watt power potential in the state.

"After harnessing all available power potential by commissioning all the ongoing projects, Arunachal Pradesh will be a surplus power state in the country," the Chief Minister said and added that the present power scenario was attributed to the damage caused in several small hydro projects by flood and landslides in recent times.

He, however, assured to solve the crisis soon by restoring all the defunct projects.

"Demand for power has increased manifold because of rise in population, industrial activities and power thefts through illegal hooking," the Chief Minister said, adding that the state government was contemplating to constitute a committee to examine the loopholes in the department's coordination.

Earlier, Taku drew the attention of the House to the fact that doctors at Seppa, the headquarters of East Kameng district, administer injection to children under candle light because of power crisis due to damage of the Pacha hydel project supplying power to the district.

He later withdrew the resolution after Tuki assured to look into the problem.