A vociferous protest against big dams reaches its crucial stage when union environment minister Jairam Ramesh was greeted with protest as he was arriving in Guwahti for a public hearing on the NHPC owned big dam in Arunachal Pradesh.
As the Union minister started the public hearing at Machkhowa, ITA, hundreds of local organizations and political parties approached him to register stiff protest again the on going construction of the big dam in Gerukamukh by NHPC in the name of the lower Subansiri hydel project. Citing the expert panel report, these parties and organisations have told the minister that the big dam might spell an ecological disaster for the people in down stream areas.
PermalinkSubmitted by Hayang on Wed, 29/09/2010 - 05:16
--Lame Excuse by NHPC CMD S.K. Garg--
Despite strident protests in Assam with environmental concerns over construction of mega dams, National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Chairman-cum-Managing Director S.K. Garg says that the project builders plan to commission three units in March 2012 and the remaining five units by December 2012. This is because Rs 4000 crore of the Rs 9000 crore project has been utilized. That means 40% of the expenses have been made. But is this a reason enough to sacrifice environment and the population of downstream areas which cannot be compensated even if the Indian central government bring all the riches in the world. When land is lost, existence is lost. When existence is lost, the very right to our natural habitat is lost.
In the devastating floods caused by the Tehri dam in Uttarakhand, the central government has promised a package of Rs 500 crore to the state government. That means every year there will be floods, the Indian government will dole out Rs 500 crore. So, within 8 years, Rs 4000 crore will have to be shelved out. If this is the economics involved, Rs 4000 crore is nothing for a rich country like India where many politicians and ministers have pocketed hundreds and thousands of crores. So, the justification of Rs 4000 crore by S.K. Garg sounds to be a lame excuse to keep the industrial corporations who fund the elections happy and satisfied.
17 Jan 2009 - 5:27pm | editor
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Police have filed a charge-sheet in the court against a doctor for allegedly raping his patient. The charge-sheet under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, has been filed by the officer-in-...
Bharatiya Janata Party chief Nitin Gadkari is on a two days visit to Guwahati to review party activities in the northeastern states. His visit assumes significance amid speculation of a few top AGP leaders preparing to join the party on Sunday. On the first day of his visit, Gadkari inaugurated "Atal Bihari Vajpayee Bhavan", the office of the party's Assam unit named after the veteran party leader and former prime minister. Gadkari is expected to meet party leaders from all the northeastern states, particularly from the three poll-bound states on Sunday.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi stressed coordinated efforts to ensure that Majuli is included in the Unesco's World Heritage Site list. Speaking at a seminar on Majuli's Cultural Landscape - Heritage Value - Future in Guwahati on Saturday, he said that Majuli was the lifeline of Assamese culture and a pride of the state. Its distinct Sankari religion and culture together with its unique geographical location has given Majuli a pride of place not only in the state but also outside. He said that effort must be made to bring the unique riverine island and the seat of Vaishnavite culture to the centre stage by ensuring that it gets Unesco's World Heritage Site tag.
The National Council of Science Museums plans to set up three planetariums in the North East region, including Nagaland, Manipur and at Jorhat in Assam. Addressing a gathering in Mumbai on Saturday, NCSM Director General G S Rautela said that in the last three years the country had six planetariums across the country. He said the projects planned in Nagaland, Manipur and at Jorhat in Assam will be completed next year.
Police have filed a charge-sheet in the court against a doctor for allegedly raping his patient. The charge-sheet under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, has been filed by the officer-in-charge of the Dholai police station on March 13 at the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate in the district of Cachar after investigation of a case filed by a minor girl on November 27, 2011.
Union home minister P Chidambaram said that the boundary dispute between Arunachal Pradesh and Assam would be resolved amicably soon. Talking to reporter during his visit to Itanagar on Saturday, he said that the one-man boundary commission constituted by Supreme Court working out modalities for the same. According to him, the one-man committee headed by Justice Tarun Chaterjee was looking after the issue and he is scheduled to convene a meeting with the chief ministers of both the states on June.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the Maoists elements operating in Assam have close coordination with other militant outfits in the north east. He said that Paresh Baruah’s recent statement suggests it beyond doubt. He asserted that almost all insurgent groups in the northeast have a nexus with Maoists. He said that the insurgent outfits of the region have a nexus with the Maoists. The chief minister also said that the Maoists were spreading their wings in the state and that they had already established a network in all the upper Assam districts.
A person died onboard Guwahati-bound Ernakulam Express on Friday after undergoing surgery to reduce his weight. The entire incident has resulted in a four-hour halt at Rangiya railway station. The 28-year-old Sanjay Dey, who was returning after undergoing a robotic surgery in Chennai for obesity-related problems, died inside the train following a heart attack at Barpeta Road station.
The power crisis that paralyzes Assam is expected to be partially over from Saturday evening. Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that the restoration of one of the transmission towers damaged by storm in West Bengal was on. He said, ''One unit of the two damaged towers is likely to be restored and will start functioning by Saturday evening but full restoration will take a few more days.''
The current power crisis in the state has been due to unforeseen natural calamities, he said adding Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi has personally rushed to the spot to oversee restoration work.
On a busy Monday afternoon of 30th April, the people around Latashil field and The High Court were caught by surprise when some young boys and girls approached them with a bottle of “Future Milk”. Priced at Rs. 200 for just 100 ml, this “Future Milk” can do wonders. One sip a day can make you lose weight, have beautiful hair and glowing skin. Topping the list, it also provides all the nutrition required by a human body in a day and even if you skip meals, you will still feel energetic and healthy! Interested? Contact “The Yellow Cab”, a city based group of young people who in their own words “aspire to promote our views using multiple methods like...
An earthquake measuring 5.4 on the Richter scale jolted Assam on Friday. The quake, which struck at 6.11pm, had its epicentre in Nagaon where some building developed crack. The quake caused panic as people rushed out of their homes. Although there was no report of any major damage so far, some buildings developed cracks and one concrete wall collapsed at Jyotinagar area of Guwahati under the impact of the quake. The jolt was also felt in Meghalaya capital Shillong.
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