The Mizoram government is awaiting the clearance of the ministry of external affairs because going ahead with the project could have ramifications at the international level with the catchment and submergence areas of both the dams falling in neighbouring Myanmar.
As India and Myanmar do not have a water-sharing treaty, the matter has been sent to the external affairs ministry for clearance.
The North Eastern Electric Power Corporation (Neepco) signed an MoU with the Mizoram government for the two project in 2010. "As per the pre-feasibility study, the submergence and catchment areas of the two projects falls in Myanmar. As India has no water-sharing treaty with Myanmar, the matter was sent to the ministry of external affairs in 2010. We are still awaiting clearance," a senior Neepco official said.
The region has immense hydro-power potential, but it is yet to be tapped. The Confederation of Indian Industry's two-day North East Energy Conclave here, which concluded on Saturday, highlighted how delay in getting clearances led to delay in completion of projects. According to energy experts and power developers, only about 2% of the northeast's hydro-power potential has been exploited so far.
The hydro-power potential of the northeast is estimated to be 59,000 MW, which is about 40% of India's total hydro-power potential.
Given the region's potential, transmission of power from the northeast to rest of the country through the 'chicken-neck' corridor - a narrow patch of land 22 km in width and 18 km in length connecting the region with Siliguri in West Bengal - has emerged as the biggest challenge. About 45,000 MW power from the region will be evacuated through this narrow corridor.
The power grid has prepared a detailed project report at an estimated cost of Rs 11348.5 crore. The scheme will be implemented in two phases by 2015-16.
The director of the ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), Umakant, said at the conclave that the Centre is talking with the World Bank for augmenting the transmission network in the northeastern states.
While increasing concern over the environmental impact of hydro-power projects in the region is being raised by various civil societies and social activists, many of the projects are facing stiff opposition from the public.