Mega dam: NHPC flouts laid down norms

More trouble awaits NHPC. Yet another social activist ups his ante on the power giant alleging flouting of norms laid down by the ministry of forest and environment and the Brahmaputra Board. Releasing RTI documents the social activist JN Khatoniar said that NHPC has spent a huge Rs 7000 crore since 2004 in the name of the Gerukamukh-based project. Khatoniar alleged that the state sector power giant mislead the people with false advertisements in media. “In media advertisement, NHPC claimed to have secured statutory and regulatory clearances for the project from ten bodies. These included Ministries of Environment and Forest as well as Power, the Brahmaputra Board, Central Water Commission, Central Electricity Authority and so on before beginning construction. But RTI information has suggested it a blatant lie,” he said.