Committed to PEOPLE'S RIGHT TO KNOW
Vol. 5 Num 285 Wed. March 16, 2005  
   
National


Plan for small power projects in CHT


The government is studying setting up of mini hydro-electric projects in Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHT) to supply power to houses, State Minister of CHT Affairs Moni Swapan Dewan has said.

A proposal by the CHT ministry in this regard is under the government's consideration, he told a public meeting in Bandarban recently.

Such projects to produce electricity by harnessing flows of streams will be cheap and power thus generated could be supplied to houses nearby, he said.

Building one klilometre power supply line costs about Tk one crore. So it is impossible for the government to supply power to remote villages in the hills. Small hydro-electric projects could be a viable option, he said.

He referred to the unique achievement by a tribal youth --Aung Thui Khoy-- of Bandarban who in 2003 developed a system to produce electricity by utilising the water of streams.

Utilising his technology, it would be possible to supply power to any hill village with 50 families at a cost of Tk 30 to 35 lakh, the state minister said.

UNDP has provided 50 million US dollars for development of CHT. Part of it can be utilised for such small projects, he said.

In 2003, Aung Thui Khoy, supplied electricity to 30 houses in Monjoypara in Bandarban through his innovative system.

But the system died down due to lack of government patronisation.