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.
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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