Country's largest power company NTPC is expected to follow the rehabilitation package offered by West Bengal Power Development Corporation for land acquisition for the proposed 1,600 MW Katwa thermal power project in the state.

NTPC had decided to go ahead with land acquisition directly from land owners, after the state government said it will not acquire any land for any commercial project.

An NTPC official said that "We have deployed our officials who are making a survey of land for the Katwa thermal power project and we will be following the West Bengal Power Development Corporation package for acquisition.”

The official said that "We are working closely with panchayat and land department officials.”

NTPC has deployed four-five company officials to make a survey for additional 500 to 600 acres contiguous to the 480 acres of land already acquired by WBPDCL. The project was initiated by WBPDCL but was transferred to NTPC after it failed to acquire land during the Left Front regime.

NTPC has decided to go ahead with the power project with 1,000 to 1,100 acres, down from the earlier proposed 1,625 acres from 16 mouzas (districts). Though it would take at least 3 to 4 months for a detailed survey, the initial feedback from the land owners is favourable.

A company official said that "We have noticed emergence of some brokers who are trying to misguide farmers and land owners. But we are not facing any problem so far from them as acquisition is yet to begin.”

(Sourced from ET)