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.
Amid uncertainty over peace process between NDFB’s progressive faction and Centre, the pro talk faction of the Bodo insurgent outfit on Friday formally has demanded replacement of interlocutor PC Haldar.
Talking to reporters in Delhi after meeting Union home minister P Chidambaram, NDFB-P general secretary Govinda Basumatary said that they have urged Chidambaram to replace the former IB director by a political leader. They, further, have suggested names of Ranjeet Sekhar Mushahary, PA Sangma, SC Jamir to replace Haldar. They alleged that the peace process has not been progressing only because of Haldar.
Good news for Assam. Delhiites would be able to shop some of the best traditional handicrafts from Assam.
These would be available at a 'mela' to be organised by SSB in the national capital on Sunday. Wives of Sashastra Seema Bal, would bring traditional Assamese handicrafts, food items and dresses to the three-day 'mela' at the CRPF ground in front of CGO complex.
The SSB has organised the 'mela' under the aegis of its wives welfare asscoiation and the proceeds of the sale would go for the welfare of the troops.
A northeast based documentary on climate change - DONT CUT MY HEAD OFF! will have its first screening in India on February 17, 2012, at 8 pm at Max Mueller Bhavan in New Delhi.
The video moves between Copenhagen and Chizami, a small village in Nagaland. Seno Tsuhah went to UN climate meet in Copenhagen in December 2009 hoping to influence the global negotiators. But they don't have time for 'romantic' Naga wisdom. The video explores two seemingly unconnected worlds of statecraft and realpolitik in Copenhagen climate meet and an agriculturalist and highly nature-dependent rural Naga society. A video about global governance, power games and theater of transparency as performed by global...
Assam Governor Janaki Ballav Patnaik on Thursday urged the Centre to help the north eastern region become a hub of organic cultivation because of its organic soil.
Speaking at a workshop on ‘Policy initiatives for promoting partnership between stakeholders in agriculture with particular reference to rain-fed and dryland farming’ organised by the Rashtrapati Bhavan in Delhi he said that the sector is not cost-effective due to high value of certification works at the initial stage and needs the Centre’s help and assistance to set up an export market in the region.
In a major achievement, Guwahati police have arrested three youths a day after they allegedly kidnapped a trucker in the city. According to information, the trio have been arrested during an operation by the Basistha police in the Bhetapara area in search of a truck driver Ravindra Pratap Singh who was kidnapped on Wednesday. Police managed to capture the trio along with Ravindra after a clash at around 9 in the evening. Singh hails from Bihar.
The arrested youths have been identified as Anuj Basumatary, Rajendra Pratap Singh, Gurdev Singh and Tapal Singh. Anuj Basumatary is the son of former APSC chairperson Geeta Basumatary. Police interrogation is in progress.
Once again Assam buys a bad name. Over 15 workers of a tea garden died because abject poverty within a short period of four months.
These have taken place at the Bhuban Valley Tea Estate a few months after the tea garden faced closure due to labour unrest.
The authorities have allegedly stayed away from providing medical treatment to the workers since October 2011.
The ten garden workers were lost their lives for lack of food and medical treatment.
The Barak Human Rights Protection Committee (BHRPC), a human rights group based in Assam, which carried out a detailed study on the pathetic condition of workers by sending a fact-finding team, found that there are dozens of workers...
Guwahati is gearing up to host the biggest ever Management Convention of Northeast. Courtesy Guwahati Management Association at the Royal Group of Institution campus at Betkuchi on Saturday.
The region has seen immense growth and development, which now enables management practitioners to give a new dimension and scientific outlook to manage the region in a more effective way. GMA is organising the convention on the theme ‘Managing Northeast – a challenging opportunity.
The anti dam protest is set to be more intensified when NHPC on Wednesday claimed to have received support from government to go ahead in Gerukamukh project.
Talking to reporters in Dispur on Thursday, NHPC managing director ABL Srivastava said that they would not halt construction of the big dam and that they would not directly sit in talks with the protestors.
Later, power minister Pradyut Bordoloi who heads the group of ministers on the dam deadlock said that the construction would continue and that NHPC has assured the government of steps to counter the possible downstream impact of the Lower Subansiri project. Before that the NHPC officials held talks with the ministerial panel...
The National Green Tribunal has asked the government not to set up any industry near the famed Kaziranga National Park.
In its recent letter, the tribunal, asked the Ministry of Environment and Forest and the Assam government regulate quarrying and mining activities in and around the the Kaziranga National Park and Tiger Reserve and Karbi-Anglong Elephant Reserve in Assam. The tribunal also made it clear that if no reply is filed by February 29,
The orders came on a petition filed by Assam-based RTI activist Rohit Chaudhary, seeking directions to restrain the quarrying and stone crushing units around Kaziranga National Park, which harbours the largest population of Indian one-horned...
Come Sunday. The Indigenous People Welfare Organization is gearing up for the Carnival of North-East India 2012 in Delhi from Sunday.
Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Thursday, organizers said that DoNER minister Pawan Singh Ghatowar will open the ten day long festival with 60 stalls from the eight north eastern states. The Indigenous People Welfare Organization is organizing the event in active collaboration with Delhi Tourism and supported by a host of other entities and authorities including the DoNER ministry, Ministry of Home Affairs, Manipur Development Society, Sangai Caterers and the North East Sun.
Comments
Pages
Add new comment