Construction work at Khuga dam resumes full swing

Imphal, June 06: Major construction works on the Khuga multipurpose dam has resumes in full swing from the beginning of this month, with the O Ibobi Singh government giving top priority to its completion, according to the irrigation and flood control minister, Dr N Mangi Singh. According to Dr Mangi, the target for completion of the project has been refixed as the year 2004. He expressed confidence that the project will be commissioned by March 2004, providing irrigation and drinking water and power to the inhabitants of Churachandpur, Saikot and Kumbi assembly constituencies. He said the National Project Construction Corporation Ltd and two local contractors have resume work on the spillway, powerhouse and earth dam after security personnel of the BSF were deployed at the dam site. The project has an irrigation potential of 15,000 hectares of land under Churachandpur, Saikot and Kumbi kendras. Out of this, around 9,700 hectares will be under command area irrigation. The project will also provide 5 million gallon per day of drinking water. The in-house micro hydel unit will generate 1.75 megawatt of power, he added. He further said construction work on the powerhouse is in progress and during the ensuing monsoon, it will be completed. The completion of the project has been delayed due to the financial constraints during the 9th Plan period, coupled with the ethnic clashes. The construction of the project was launched in 1982-83 with a completion target of 1987. He disclosed that the cost of the project was originally fixed at Rs 16 crores in 1980, out of which the Planning Commission sanctioned Rs 15 crores. However, due to cost escalation, the latest estimate of the project cost stands at Rs 249 crores. In March 2002, the Planning Commission released another Rs 18 crores as a one time Central assistance for the project.