Team Herald
PANJIM: The Goa Tamnar Transmission Project Limited is not to facilitate Special Economic Zones (SEZs) in the State and the project had been implemented as per the Supreme Court directions, claimed Power Minister Ramkrishna ‘Sudin’ Dhavalikar on Monday.
Reacting to Goa Foundation Director Claude Alvares’ charge that the government is preparing the ground for five SEZs in Goa via Tamnar, Dhavalikar asked Alvares to sit with the Electricity Department officials and get requisite information about the project.
Dhavalikar said that during the hearing, Goa Foundation’s counsel Adv Prashant Bhushan had submitted before the Supreme Court that there can be no objection to the implementation of the recommendations made by the Central Empowered Committee (CEC) in the respect of realignment of the transmission line. He added that the Tamnar power transmission line is needed as Goa’s power demands is continuously increasing and will reach 1,200 MW in near future.
CEC of the Supreme Court after investigation and submitted its report on April 23, 2021. The CEC in its report recommended that instead of clearing the canopy of virgin forest cover along 10.50-km long corridor with 46m ROW in Goa the proposed 400 kV line should be drawn along the existing 220 kV corridor line in the State after establishing 400 kV corridor connectivity between Mapusa and Sangod and 220 kV line between Sangod and Xeldem. According to CEC, this course of action would ensure an adequate supply of power to the southern Goa region. Also, 100 MW of power now being received from Ramagundam through the 220 kV line shall be temporarily disrupted during the construction phase of the 400 kV line between Narendra and Sangod.
On the other hand, Alvares told O Heraldo that he will counter the Power Minister with documents at the appropriate time.