Darjeeling, Nov. 4: The conflicting stance taken by the residents of Lodhama has delayed the commencement of work on the Rs 40-crore expansion plan of Rammam Hydel Project by more than seven months.

With no solution at hand, officials have begun toying with the idea of using the funds for other similar projects.

The Lodhama Jan Kalyan Manch, a local organisation, has strongly opposed the move on grounds that the construction of a tunnel, which will involve blasting the terrain, would trigger killer landslides which could clog the river, the lifeline for the villagers, spelling doom for the residents who are primarily dependent on agriculture.

Another local organisation, Bhumihara Kalyan Samity, has however, welcomed the latest development plan, claiming that the funds pumped into the project would benefit the people of Lodhama in the long run.

“The Jan Kalyan Manch had placed a three-point demand to be fulfilled before they would allow work to start. This included providing irrigation facilities, drinking water for the villages and providing residents with employment opportunities in connection with the project,” said A.K. Dutta, project manager.

“But even before positive talks on the demands could start, they have come up with a new-15 point demand that we cannot agree to,” he added.

The demands, Dutta said, included “issues beyond our purview”. Like the construction of a swimming pool because they feel “the Mungmong Khola will dry up once the water is siphoned off.

The construction of a bridge to Sikkim and subsidised electricity charges are other demands that have been made.

“The proposed 38-month expansion plan, to be funded by Power Finance Corporation of India and the state government equally, was slated to begin in April this year. But with the standoff showing no sign of ending even after seven months, we are contemplating using the sanctioned fund for other schemes if the work on the project does not begin soon,” said Dutta.

“Negotiations had begun in earnest on the three-point demand and we were sure we would reach an understanding soon. But then talks at all levels have fallen through when the 15-point demand was made and even the employees of Asian Tech, who bagged the contract for the work, were assaulted by the locals,” said another official.

The Rammam Hydel Project, which was commissioned in 1995, produces 51 mw of electricity. During the dry season, however, all the four turbines cannot be used.

“We plan to divert water from the Mungmong Khola to the Forebay through a 4.2-km tunnel during peak summer months so the capacity of the station can be fully utilised,” Dutta said, adding that all clearance, including that on impact on the environment, had already been obtained for the work.

“The residents will, however, not be convinced,” he added.

The delay is likely to escalate the project’s cost, the official feared.