Sikkim Urja Limited Visible at the biggest Public Park of Delhi while facing FIR from its own People

Strolling across the green covers of Nehru Park, one can spot something inside it that is not so Delhi, the Sikkim Urja Limited Steel Dustbins as part of their CSR responsibility. Populating the entire park, these dustbins are strong and durable enough for the moody weather as well as people of the capital city. What
are these ‘Sikkim Urja Limited’ or ‘SUL’ Dustbins?

Sikkim Urja Limited builds a 55 km Timebomb

Formally known as the Teesta Urja Limited, this Sikkim government public enterprise has been working towards hydro-electric power empowerment across the landscape of India. Since its inception in 2005, SUL has been involved in the production, collection and distribution of electricity using hydro-electric dams.

The company’s biggest dam project, on Teesta River located at Chungthang and Mangan in North Sikkim district, was deemed to generate 1,200 MW of energy. The project started making profit for the first time since last year in 2023, in which the Sikkim government has 60.08 percent share. The project valuation was around ₹25 thousand crore. But in October 2023, the project got washed away in a flash flood, leaving approximately 30 people missing.

Environment based journal ‘Down To Earth’ reports that Teesta River has the maximum number of sediments and one cannot imagine building a huge cement structure over the marshy riverside. Teesta River is a 500 km river that originates from the Eastern Himalayan ranges of Pauhunri. In India, it flows through the state of Sikkim and West Bengal to later meet the river Bhramaputra in Bangladesh. The area became more prone to earthquakes after the building of the dam as it altered the water level around the region. This is called Reservoir Induced Seismicity (RIC). RIC made people living around Teesta river particularly vulnerable, and made the Teesta river mega dam ‘a 55 km timebomb’.

The Dustbins of Nehru Park

It is ironic that the Corporate social responsibility of this sikkim based enterprise, as stated in its own CSR policy preamble, entails environmental sustainability. On one hand, SUL’s mega developmental project has been unsustainable for river Teesta while on the other hand, the company installed dustbins across a strategic natural habitat in Delhi.

The government enterprise SUL, post its profit from the project, has been diligent with its corporate social responsibility. As part of its CSR, URJA has installed many dustbins across the biggest public park of Delhi: the Nehru Park. Covering a stretch of 80 acres, the park is frequented by commoners, bureaucrats, politicians, students and foreign diplomats alike.

Because of its central location at Chanakyapuri and its tranquility, many chose to picnic inside the park, especially on weekends. This creates massive amounts of trash, usually disposed carelessly across the green floor of the park. URJA’s initiative of installing dustbins will not only support the already installed bio waste management technology at Nehru Park but will also render its landscape cleaner.

This is not the only CSR responsibility of SUL that has made news. In its home state, the semi-government enterprise conducted a skill training program counseling the youth of Sikkim. The counseling session conducted on 15th July 2023, the National Youth Skill Day, promoted training in new age trades like multimedia journalism, homestay host, animation to automotive electrician. While in other parts of India, SUL has initiated many other CSR responsibilities like AC ambulances, park construction, etc. As per the company’s annual report, around Rs. 5.72 Cr have been spent alone on CSR responsibilities in the financial year 2020-21.

CSR is always ‘For The People’

The Corporate Social Responsibility, under the Company’s Act of 2013, ensures that large profit making businesses contribute to the general social upliftment of the society. And so in all CSR initiatives, it is the people who come at the center. The case with Sikkim Urja Limited at the moment is that in spite of its magnanimous presence in the most important location in the capital city Delhi, the company is facing lawsuits from its own people of Northern Sikkim, after the flash flood.

“We are united in our belief that rebuilding the dam is not a safe option for us. Right now, our top priority is ensuring the safety and security of our community. It’s crucial that we carefully assess all potential risks and actively involve the local residents in any future developmental plans.”, a local Chungthang resident reportedly said.