Petroleum Power Plant To Be Built in Bokajan, Karbi Anglong

Diphu November 1: If all goes well, soon a petro power project of 75 Megawatt capacity will be commissioned in Bokajan under a joint venture of Cement Corporation of India Bokajan unit and Numoligarh Oil Refinery. The project has been initiated by the NRL under its explanation program-me.

Power will be generated from Fuel Grade Raw Petroleum of NRL and limestone available in and around the hills of Bokajan subdivision of East Karbi Anglong, a source said. NRL has decided to go ahead with the project, both the companies have agreed in principle to become self sufficient for power requisite of its own industrial unit.

According to an information received, a memorandum of understanding (MOU) has been signed between the two public sector units (PSU), both agreed to supply excess unit of power to either power authority or to the state government after meeting their own requirement. The NRL authority will utilize around 360000 tonnes of Fuel Grade Raw Petroleum annually in that particular power plant. However it is still not clear whether Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council will receive any revenue from the power generated within its administrative and territorial control.

In a number of earlier instances, the KAAC has failed to earn any returns either in cash or in the form of subsidized power after allowing other authorities to make the most of its natural resources in generating hydro electric in high altitude areas of this autonomous district.

Sushanta Roy is a journalist in Assam, India, who photographs and writes about the people, animals and flora of Assam, and the things that affect them.