A committee constituted on September 21 assessed the damage caused by the incident, which affected houses and agricultural land and washed away around 50 metres of road at Palchara, blocking the Siund-Raila-Kamtan road for 12 days. Residents had refused to allow restoration work until a written agreement was reached with the NHPC.
Kullu APMC Chairman Ram Singh Mian said after the settlement that the NHPC had accepted nearly 95 per cent of the 16-point charter of demands.
According to the assessment agreed to by the NHPC, Rs 7.20 lakh has been fixed for agricultural crop losses, Rs 27.50 lakh for horticulture losses involving around 496 plants and 16 other plants, Rs 9.50 lakh for soil conservation, Rs 9 lakh for forest vegetation and plantation losses, Rs 3.50 lakh for the Jal Shakti Vibhag, Rs 1.87 crore for restoration of the HPPWD road and Rs 1.30 crore for damaged houses.
Mian said the NHPC had also agreed to bear the cost of forest protection measures based on the estimate prepared, irrespective of whether it amounted to Rs 5 crore or Rs 10 crore. The issue of land acquisition has been forwarded to higher NHPC authorities as a proposal in the public interest.
The company also assured priority to local people in employment. Four or five workers who had earlier been asked to discontinue work were reinstated, while a widow who lost her husband in an accident would be provided employment by NHPC.
The company has also accepted responsibility for preventing recurrence of such damage and would be held responsible for any future losses caused by a similar incident, Mian said.
The written agreement has paved the way for road restoration and relief work. Mian thanked residents, the district administration, police and departmental officials, as well as NHPC officials, for their cooperation.
He expressed hope that the Stage II and III projects would proceed with the cooperation of local residents. The settlement, he said, was the first of its kind in the area and would provide relief to affected families.
