Noted environmentalist Medha Patkar on Wednesday opposed construction of big dams in the North East to save the region from complete destruction. Addressing a huge rally in Guwahati, organised under the aegis of the Kisan Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), she said the rivers must be saved at any cost.
She said the government divided people on the lines of caste and religion but now they are taking the name of development.
According to Patkar, "People want development of rivers, power, aquatic life and people of living on river banks and not just of corporate houses and a section of politicians."
The construction of dams involved scams amounting to several thousands of crore and some corporate houses and politicians were allegedly involved in this, she claimed.
She appreciated KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi for organising the rally and giving a voice to the farmers who would be the worst affected if dams are constructed on the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
Patkar, later, fell ill and was rushed to a hospital, while leading a protest march from the Sonaram Field to the Kamrup (Metro) Deputy Commissioner's office but her condition was stated to be stable.
Meanwhile, tense situation prevailed near the Deputy Commissioner's Office when more than five thousand protestors gathered to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner. The district authorities declared the gathering illegal and asked the crowd to disperse within ten minutes. Akhil Gogoi pointed out that they had applied for necessary permission for holding a dharna at the Dispur Last Gate but was denied following they had sought permission for holding a rally at Sonaram Field and a protest march which was subsequently granted.
PermalinkSubmitted by kkp on Fri, 23/07/2010 - 20:24
@Rongmon Pegu: may be there are less money involves in wind and solar energy than in river and dam to fill the butty of our politicians and corporate houses and dalals.
PermalinkSubmitted by Himadree Buragohian on Fri, 30/07/2010 - 16:37
It is really appreciating for renowned environmentalist Medha Patkar and KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi to come out and protest for the greater welfare of the general masses who are a neglected lot by the Govt as their cries carry no meaning for the politicians and the bureaucrats.Kudos to such leaders pleading for the poor citizens.
PermalinkSubmitted by Molokhu on Sun, 08/08/2010 - 16:11
IN THE NAME OF 'USER RIGHT'
I read the news story “Chinese move on Brahmaputra: Govt action plan on user right”, reported by noted journalist Kalyan Barooah from New Delhi (‘The Assam Tribune’, Page 1; Saturday, July 24, 2010). While being in the Indian Union any small entity, be it a state, a group of people have to be vigilant against powerful forces which influence policy makers and decision takers. Unlike the fringe territories, the central mainland has a huge homogenous population, where from springs a powerful lobby which exhorts power overtly in politics and covertly in economic matters. The scene hasn’t changed much down the centuries.
When Buddhism was gaining popularity in India, the Brahmans came up with an interesting idea to retain power in the socio-economic-political and religious spheres. Gautam Buddha was shown as the ninth avatar of the Hindu mythical god of protection, Vishnu. By inducting such a tricky clause in the Purans and related religious scriptures, the identity of Buddhism as an independent religion was destroyed. Slowly Buddhism lost its grip in ancient India. Persons who constitute different policy making structures like the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) are the neo-Brahmins of modern India.
At a time when anti-dam agitation is taking the form of a mass movement, the CoS has come up with a strategy of major storage project in the three basins (which includes Subansiri, Siang and Lohit) under the disguise of a concept aptly named ‘User Right’. Whether China wants to dam or divert the Brahmaputra is not known. Whether China will or can divert the Brahmaputra is not known. Whether the story of a dam to divert the river by China is a propaganda by a section of Indian media in connivance with the Central and Corporate lobby is not known. But that the Central Governement is hand in gloves with giant corporations to exploit the hydro-power of north-eastern states is an open secret now. These power groups with an eye on profits worth billions and trillions would never sit idle over a so called storage project. Any conscious and thinking person would know what the storehouse would hold for power generators and the massive devastation that a minimal gush of water from such projects can cause downstream.
In the name of major storage project alias ‘User Right’, now India and its corporate masterminds will generate power even more than the stipulated 70,000 MWs to feed its evergrowing greed. In the national forum, mega dams are projected as ‘multi-purpose hydro-projects’. In the international forum, major storage projects will be showcased in the name of ‘User Right’ of India. It’s the formula of “Old wine in New bottle”, to fool north-eastern states and the world.
Despite heavy presence of security forces ULFA has exploded a grenade in Tinsukia district on Thursday only to make its presence felt a week ahead of prime minister’s day long visit to Assam.
The grenade exploded at a market place in Bordumsa on in the afternoon. But it missed target and that’s why, there was no report of any casualty.
Security forces are spreading tentacle to thwart any attempt to nab the culprits. The blast assumes significance three days after it called for Assam bandh on April 20 to oppose Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit.
Dr Singh is scheduled to inaugurate the platinum jubilee celebration of the state assembly on that day.
Good news for Assam a day before the Rongali Bihu. Teen boxer Shiva Thapa on Thursday struck gold showing a brilliant performance at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Astana.
The 18-year-old teen sensation born and brought up in Assam who is the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics, defeated Syria's Wessam Salamana 18-11 to clinch his second successive senior international gold medal.
The Assam government announced a new revenue circle in Sivsagar district on Thursday. The new Sapekhati revenue circle has been created by re-organising the existing Sonari revenue circle in Sibsagar.
The headquarter of the new revenue circle will be Sapekhati in Charaideo Civil Sub-Division of Sivasagar District. The jurisdiction of the new revenue circle will be Sapekhati and Baruasali mouzas.
Tension is simmering in Lakhimpur district bordering Arunachal Pradesh on Wednesday when unidentified armed men attacked Assam forest personnel engaged in plantation at Duluong in the Lakhimpur district.
Security forces posted along the border rushed to the spot and brought the situation under control. The forces are maintaining a strict vigil in the area.
During the first week of April, tension had flared up along the inter-state border after Arunachal Pradesh's attempt to build a community hall at Likabali in West Siang district bordering Dhemaji was foiled by the district administration.
A mild tremor struck Assam triggering fresh panic among the people on Wednesday.
Tremors were felt at around 2-16 in the afternoon across the state. There was, however, no immediate report of any casualty, injuries or damage to property. Three more tremors were felt at an interval of 20 seconds each. According to Seismological Centre at Shillong, the epicentre of the earthquake was at Latitude 2.3 degree North and Longitude 93.0 degree East off the west coast of North Sumatra.
From Wild Rose Country, the Host Committee of Assam Convention 2012 is delighted to invite you all to the 33nd Assam Convention to be held at Calgary, Alberta, Canada from June 30th to July 1st, 2012.
We are looking forward to your wholesome participation. Come prepared to have a great time. With your dance, music and applause we strive to create the ambience of Assam’s traditions in joyous expressions of song, skit and dance. As we roll out the red carpet, we invite not only the Assamese Diaspora in North America, Europe and beyond, but our honoured and loved ones visiting this country during that time. We are planning an entrancing agenda for you. Renowned and upcoming...
A special court in Guwahati on Tuesday issued summons to eight IAS officers to depose it on April 20 after the Government exonerated them in connection with the Green House scam in 2009.
The court further rejected the prayer of the investigating agency which had made prayer to discharge the 26 public servants. The eight IAS officers include Alok Khare, Gayatri Baruah, MC Brahma, KN Buragohain, L Phangcho, AS Tiwari, AK Bhutani and Hemanta Narzary.
The Government had earlier denied prosecution sanctions against these 26 public servants as sought by CM Vigilance Cell probing the scam, which had apparently made them immune to prosecution.
ULFA’s anti-talk faction calls for state-wide bandh on April in protest against Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s visit to Assam.
In an email statement, the outfit alleged that the security forces have eliminated many ULFA activists. The Prime Minister is scheduled to inaugurate the platinum jubilee celebration of the state assembly on that day. Earlier, the event was scheduled to be held on April 7 which was the outfit's "raising day" but subsequently the Prime Minister's visit was cancelled.
Tension runs high in Boko along the Assam-Meghalaya border following the eviction of 22 Meghalaya families who have been allegedly occupying the place.
Tension started escalating when a section of local residents evicted 22 families in Chumarang on Sunday alleging illegal occupation. They alleged that led by a village headman, hundreds of people from Meghalaya have been settling in Chumarang. The local residents rued that they informed it to the authorities who only to be downplayed.
The rhino census in the Kaziranga National Park in Assam is over on Sunday. KNP officials expect rise in the number of the animals.
The census began on Saturday in all the ranges but bad weather hampered the process with many of the survey teams yet to return. The number of rhinos is yet to be ascertained.
The census was conducted in all the ranges- Kohora, Bagori, Agaratoli and Burhapahar with the park closed for tourists since Friday. It is scheduled to reopen on Monday. Nearly 200 people, including a group of trained forest officials, representatives of non-government officials and local villagers along with 34 elephants were involved in the exercise.
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