Tribal religious heads have apprised Jharkhand chief minister Hemant Soren about resentment in the Santhal tribal community over the proposed 1500 MW Lugu Pahar Pumped Storage hydel power plant of Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) in Gomia block of Bokaro district.

The delegation of Lugu Buru Ghanta Bari Dhorom Garh, led by religious head (Desh Pargana Baba) Baiju Murmu, requested the chief minister to cancel the hydel pumped storage project of DVC on Lugu Pahar.

“Lugu Pahar is the sacred religious heritage of Santhal tribals. It is full of natural beauty and forest wealth. Setting up of hydel power plant would ruin its sanctity and we have asked the state government to cancel the project as it would hurt the tribal sentiments,” said Baiju Murmu who lives in Ghatshila of East Singhbhum district.

“The Lugu Pahar also has Lugu Baba cave, the centre of the sacred Mahadharma place of the tribals, popularly known by the name of Lugu Buru Ghanta Bari Dhorom Gadh. There is a rush of devotees here every Amavasya and Kartik Purnima. We have heard that DVC has conducted surveys and has tried to assure tribals about developing the site. However, we know that these assurances will fall flat once the project starts. We have warned of violent agitation if the government does not take steps to protect our religious site,” added Murmu.

The proposed project is situated in Pindra and Tuti Jharia of Tulbul panchayat, about 15km from Gomia block and 70km from the Bokaro district headquarters. The dam will be built at about 500 meters from Lugu Baba temple, the holy shrine of Santhal tribals. The estimated cost of the project is Rs 5,200 crore.

According to DVC sources, the project will be a closed-loop type pumped storage scheme and comprise two reservoirs — one at the lower elevation and the other at the upper elevation. The water conductor system will connect the two reservoirs through an underground powerhouse. During the peak hour, power will be generated by releasing the upper reservoir’s water through a water conductor, turbines and generator installed at the powerhouse to the lower reservoir.

According to a communique issued by the chief minister's secretariat on Wednesday, the chief minister assured the delegation that the government would take decisions respecting the sentiments of the local tribals.

“The chief minister assured the delegation that the state government will always keep the faith, tradition, culture and customs of the tribals intact. Since the formation of the government, preserving the religious places of tribals has been the priority of the government,” the communique said.

“It is also the moral responsibility of all of us to save Lugu mountain, the religious heritage of tribal Santhals. Regarding the Lugu Pahad Handle Pumped Storage Project proposed by Damodar Valley Corporation Limited, the state government will take legal action and take a decision in accordance with public sentiments. Tribal identity will be protected at all costs and nobody will be allowed to hurt tribal sentiments,” the chief minister said according to the communique.