Despite repeated suggestions to halt the mega dam work by north east dam experts, NHPC and the Centre have categorically allayed the fear of downstream disaster of the controversial dam at Gerukamukh. Yet another expert panel is studying the entire issue of downstream impact of the NHPC-owned power project. That is what it in the case of Assam.
But the Centre itself has held hydropower projects responsible for the Uttarakhand disaster last year that left hundreds dead and thousand displaced. The situation aggravated in the upstream and downstream areas of the projects. The Centre admitted it in the recent affidavits of the MoFE before the Supreme Court on Monday.
This has forced the Centre to stall 24 of the 39 proposed projects in the state on the sub-basins of the Alaknanda and Bhagirathi rivers.
According to the MoEF said that construction of the projects overburdened the local ecology. This has resulted in the irreversible damage to the environment in terms of loss of forests, degraded water quality, and an enhanced impact of landslides.
It suggests the impending downstream disaster of the Gerukamukh mega dams in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts. Will power minister Piyush Goel and the NHPC go through the affidavits before resuming the mega dam works in Gerukamukh? If NHPC is allowed to resume works, will they own up responsiblity for the impending danger in the downstream areas?
Anti-dam protesters have been crying the fear of disaster for the last three years. But NHPC and the Centre have been trying to ignore the voice of protest against and again. A circle of experts hired by NHPC has been supporting the mega dams in the name of power generation. But some others have been dead opposed to it. Need of the hour is to give a second thought to it. People in this seismic prone region don’t want yet another trail of devastation.
2 May 2014 - 8:19am | AT News
LPG scarcity is likely to hit the north eastern region hard again. The LPG dealers association in the region is on a 48 hour strike from Friday in protest against the shifting of the tender process...
13 Oct 2020 - 7:52pm | AT News
Raijor dol, the new political initiation lead by KMSS in support of seventy different indigenous organizations of Assam has a big motorbike rally in Dhemaji on Tuesday. The rally was organised to...
25 Feb 2015 - 12:05pm | AT News
The death of eminent educationist, social scientist, renowned geographer and author Mohammad Taher has been widely condoled across the state. Professor Taher breathed his last in a private hospital...
10 Dec 2011 - 2:14pm | Aiyushman Dutta
Curtains came down on the 1st Guwahati International Music Festival (GIMF) last week amidst scintillating performances by top artists from various parts of the globe. The two day festival, which was...
Guwahati: WWF-India Assam State Office marked the International Day for Biological Diversity on 22nd May with an engaging awareness program held at the Aquaculture and Biodiversity Centre, supported by the Zoology Department of Gauhati University. The event aimed to educate students from various colleges and universities about the significance of biodiversity conservation.
Mrs. Archita Baruah Bhattacharyya, the State Coordinator of WWF-India Assam State Office, delivered a warm welcome address to the participants, which included students from esteemed institutions such as the Department of Environment Science, Gauhati University, National Law University & Judicial Academy, Assam...
The North-East Forum for International Solidarity (NEFIS) has strongly criticized the Manipur state government for its inability to maintain peace and normalcy in the region. NEFIS demands the immediate resignation of the Chief Minister of Manipur on moral grounds, holding the government accountable for its failure to ensure peace in the state.
The organization has called upon all communities in Manipur to prioritize communal harmony amidst the current atmosphere of communal rift, urging them to engage in dialogue to resolve their differences. NEFIS expressed concern over the role of the state government in sowing animosity among different communities for cheap political gains.
The...
The National Federation for New States (NFNS) has expressed deep anguish and concern regarding the ongoing violence in Manipur. The organization has called for an immediate end to the mindless acts of violence which have caused immense suffering to vulnerable sections of society, including the elderly, women, and children. Additionally, the NFNS strongly condemns the destruction of homes, properties, and places of worship.
While acknowledging its longstanding relationship with the Kuki State Demand Committee (KSDC), the NFNS appeals to all people groups involved to abandon violence and instead seek peaceful and democratic means to find a lasting solution. The organization believes...
NEHU Campus, 20th April, 2023 - The National Science & Technology Entrepreneurship Development Board (NSTEDB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), GoI, has kicked off the Entrepreneurship Awareness Camp (EAC) at the North-Eastern Hill University (NEHU) campus. The three-day program, organized by the Department of Biomedical Engineering, NEHU and sponsored by the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Ahmedabad, aims to equip over 75 students from diverse backgrounds with the knowledge and skills required for entrepreneurship.
Esteemed experts from both industry and academia have gathered to interact with the participants, shedding light on crucial topics such as...
Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty, a veteran journalist, will receive the Parag Kumar Das Journalism Award 2023. The award includes a cash prize of Rs 25,000, a citation, and a memento. The award ceremony will take place on May 17.
Sangeeta Barooah Pisharoty currently serves as the National Affairs Editor for the digital news publication 'The Wire.'
The Parag Kumar Das Journalism Award was established to honor the courageous journalist Parag Kumar Das, who lost his life while fighting for the truth. The award recognizes and encourages journalists who tirelessly uncover the truth and bring it to the public.
The Incubation and Enterprise Support Centre (IESC) at IIM Shillong recently organized a sponsored bootcamp aimed at nurturing the entrepreneurial spirit among the youth of the North East Region (NER). The five-day residential program, held on the picturesque campus of IIM Shillong, concluded successfully on May 5th. The bootcamp, attended by 55 ambitious and energetic participants from both within and outside the region, focused on equipping them with essential skills in entrepreneurship, innovation, business modeling, market dynamics, and leadership qualities.
As part of its commitment to the development of the NER, IIM Shillong's IESC initiated this funded bootcamp to provide aspiring...
A Special Leave Petition under Article 136 of the Constitution of India has been filed in the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India by advocate Arif Jwadder. The petition appeals against the Gauhati High Court's disposal of a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) seeking an independent investigation into all fake encounters that took place from May 2021 onwards. The petitioner's counsel, Prashant Bhushan, filed the petition.
The Assam government had admitted to 171 police encounters in its affidavit dated 29.09.2022, wherein 56 people died and 145 were injured from May till August 2022. The death toll has increased since then. Despite the material placed on record, the Gauhati High Court didn't...
Mizoram University and Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham have partnered to launch science, technology and innovation (STI) hubs in the Aizawl and Serchip districts of Mizoram. Funded by the Indian Department of Science...
On 12th December 2022, a devastating fire broke out suddenly at the village called Upper Sonowal of Majuli district in Assam, leaving a trail of destructions among the affected people. The crisis had pushed the affected into an extreme grim situation as they lost everything in the fire. The tragedy had affected vulnerable communities who are also the victims of recurrent floods and river erosions of the island.
Following a Rapid Need Assessment (RNA) at the affected community, NEADS had activated its fire tragedy response among the affected communities of the crisis-ravaged areas. With funding from Start Fund, NEADS had undertaken the humanitarian assistance among the affected peoples,...
The Assamese community in Chennai celebrated the Rongali Bihu festival on Sunday, 16th April, 2023 with great zeal and enthusiasm. The event was organized by the Assam Association Chennai (AAC) and was held at the Blue Lagoon resort located at ECR, Chennai.
The Rongali Bihu festival is an important cultural event in the state of Assam, which marks the start of New Year and agricultural season for the community. It is celebrated with great fervor and enthusiasm by the Assamese people, who come together to celebrate their culture and traditions.
The Assamese community in Chennai, gathered at the Blue Lagoon resort to celebrate the festival, where various games were organized, including...
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