Tura: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma on Wednesday finally inaugurated State’s much-delayed 22.5 MW Ganol Hydro Power Project in West Garo Hills district.
Terming the inauguration of the project as a ‘historic’ and landmark day for Garo Hills, the Chief Minister said that the project worth over Rs. 560 crore was completed with a sheer commitment of the National People’s Party-led government that had envisaged to put Garo Hills in the power map of the nation.
Deputy Chief Minister in-charge Power, Prestone Tynsong, Health and Family Welfare Minister James Sangma and Chief Managing Director Sanjay Goyal were also present at the inauguration.
The Ganol Hydro Electric project has encountered several delays since it was conceived way back in 2006. Works for the 22.5 MW project started in 2014, and it should have been completed by 2017.
The Chief Minister lauded his elder brother James Sangma, who during his tenure as Power minister had mooted the idea to revive the abandoned project and ensure its completion.
“As suggested by James K. Sangma, the government decided to release additional funds to complete the project,” Sangma said, even as he credited Deputy Chief Minister Tynsong and the entire power department for their determination to ensure that the project was completed on time.
“Ganol project was almost abandoned, the State Government had invested but due to paucity of funds, it was not completed. In 2018, when the current Government took over, it ensured that the funds were made available to restart the project,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that Government had a challenge to ensure the completion of this project but with a strong determination the State Government took the onus upon itself to complete the project.
“By ensure completion of this project, the Government has demonstrated to the people of Garo Hills that this Government has the will to ensure large infrastructure projects for the common interest of the State and its people,” the Chief Minister said.
He said that the project will aid to a large extent to supplement power requirements in the Garo Hills region.
Sangma further informed that more such projects would be required and the government is committed to come up with such big infrastructure projects in future.
The Ganol Hydroelectric Project utilised the Ganol river fall near Tura and its water by installing 3 Turbine – Generator units of 7.5 MW each, of which one was made operational today and the remaining two will be made operational in the next few months.
Meghalaya Power Generation Corporation along with different stakeholders including India’s leading hydropower construction company Patel Engineering Ltd., Mumbai as its lead contractor and Civil & HM Contractor Onycon Infra LLP, Mumbai and E&M Contractor Toshiba Plant Systems & Services Corporation, Japan combined to complete the first engineering marvel hydropower project of Garo Hills.
The Ganol Hydro Project is unique in having the maximum features of hydro projects i.e. Diversion Tunnel, Dam, Power Intake, Head Race Tunnel, Surge Shaft, Upper Horizontal, Vertical and Lower Horizontal Pressure Shafts, finally the Power House along with Switch Yard.
