Orissa asks NTPC to take people's consent before acquiring land

The Orissa government today asked central public sector NTPC to acquire land after receiving the consent of owners for its two proposed ultra mega power projects.

"The NTPC has been told to acquire land after taking the consent of the local people and spend five per cent of its profits towards peripheral development," Chief Secretary BK Patnaik said.

Patnaik presided over a review of NTPC's progress on two proposed two projects at Darlipali in Sundergarh district and Gajamara in Dhenkanal district.

He asked the district collectors of Sundergarh and Dhenkanal to assist the NTPC which would require about 2900 acre and 2700 acre respectively for establishment of 3200 MW power plants each.

Though the CPSU was ready to start work on the projects, it was facing opposition from the local people who demanded 40 lakh per acre of private land, an NTPC executive pointed out at the meeting seeking the intervention of the state administration.

The state government was to get 50 per cent of power from the NTPC's two UMPPs.

The state government has also asked the CPSU to begin expansion work on its Talcher Thermal Power Station without delay as it has the land and other requirements.

NTPC proposed to set up two additional units of 660 MW capacity each at its Talcher Thermal Power Station.

This apart, the NTPC was also asked to fund the water resources department's proposed barrage and watershed project in Sundergarh district.

The NTPC has committed to set up a medical college hospital in Sundergarh district and upgrade the existing district headquarters hospital to 100 beds with ICU.