Guwahati: The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes (NCST) has directed the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council (KAAC) to submit a detailed status report on nearly 18,000 bighas of land earlier allotted to the Assam Power Distribution Corporation Limited (APDCL) for a proposed 1,000 MW solar power project at Lahorijan in Karbi Anglong district.
The directive was issued during a hearing held on Thursday, even though the solar project has been officially scrapped following the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) withdrawal of a proposed USD 434.25 million loan. The ADB pulled out on May 28, 2025, after the Government of India withdrew its financing request on May 23, citing sustained objections and formal complaints raised by the Indigenous Peoples Party (IPP).
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During the hearing, the NCST expressed concern that despite the project’s cancellation, the 90-year land allotment agreement between KAAC and APDCL remains legally valid. The Commission observed that the unresolved status of the land is the core issue requiring immediate clarification.
While APDCL maintained that the withdrawal of international funding effectively closed the matter, IPP president Rajen Timung contested the claim, asserting that cancellation of the project does not automatically nullify the land lease or protect indigenous land rights. He also informed the Commission about reports of a proposed joint venture between APDCL and Neyveli Lignite Corporation India Limited (NLCIL) to develop a 500 MW solar project on around 8,000 bighas in the same area.
Taking serious note, the NCST directed KAAC to submit a comprehensive report at its next hearing detailing the legal status, current use, and future plans for the land. The Commission also recorded the absence of KAAC’s principal secretary, who had sought exemption on personal grounds.
