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.
The Assam government is all set to renovate the universities within the next few months. Disclosing this education minister Dr Himanta Biswa Sarma said that the government has a set of long term and short term measures to modernize the varsities.
Addressing a convention of the vice chancellors in Guwahati on Tuesday, Dr Sarma said that the teachers problems and demands would also be looked into.
Governor JB Patnaik along with senior officials of the various department were present in the meeting. He also said that the upcoming state budget would give more stress of high education.
Normal life in Assam remained partially affected on Tuesday following the Chakka Babank call given by the various trade unions.
The bandh call was given in protest against the central government's labour policies. Banks, financial companies, schools and other educational institutions remained closed and private vehicles were off the road.
Some bandh supporters had to be cleared from the tracks at Lakhtokia in Guwahait and Bongaigaon but running of trains was not affected in any parts of the state.
Shops and business establishments, however, in the commercial town of Tinsukia were closed and all modes of transport off the road.
Incredible North Eastern Regional Institute of Science and Technology (NERIST) Exhibition Stall has cherished by the visiting dignitaries from all walks of life in the completion of Silver Jubilee Statehood Day and Festival of Arunachal – 2012 held at Indira Gandhi Park Itanagar during February 20-24.
‘Technology for Tomorrow’s North Eastern States’ was the theme of NERIST Exhibition Stall which was showcased through various people oriented programme like Water Quality Testing just before drinking; Low Cost Vermi-composting Technology for Organic Farming and its effective utilization for both indoor and outdoor plant fertilizer; Bio-diesel for Economic...
Two of the greatest cultural titans of Assam were remembered in the same venue, on Monday. The biennial New Delhi World Book Fair saw the release of two new books on the life and times of Bhupen Hazarika and Indira Goswami (popularly known as Mamoni Raisom Goswami; whose demise last year resulted in intense outporiuring of grief not only in Assam but across the subcontinent. The event, with massive participation from book lovers and the Assamese community of Delhi is being deemed as a success.
After the demise of the two legends, many writers, scholars and journalists came up with works intended as a critical appraisals of their works. However, very little work was done in English, and...
Amid much clash and chaos youth Congress leader Piyush Hazarika emerged victorious in the Assam youth Congress polls on Sunday.
Hazarika, the MLA from Roha pulled 21,272 votes to be followed by Pranjeet Chaudhury. The poll conducted on Friday and Saturday decided fate of 44 candidates.
An uneasy situation prevails at Deothar in Karbi Anglong district following a simmering clash between police and protesters on Sunday where at least 10 people have been injured.
The incident took place in the morning when local residents in large number gathered in the police station alleging harassment on a youth on Saturday afternoon in the name of checking.
The situation tuned volatile when initially, the irate mob burnt down two camps forcing policemen on duty to retaliate with firing. Two school boys sustained injury. Some other protestors pelted stones at the police who were trying to bring the situation under control. All of a sudden, a protestor started firing at the security...
The voice of protest against the NHPC owned big dam in Gerukamukh gets more strength when more and more experts have criticized the controversial deal.
Hundreds of people thronged the Laxmidhar Bora Kshetra in Guwahati to hold a rally orgsanised to raise new voice of protest against big dams in Gerukamukh along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Himansu Thakkar, Ruhan D Suza along with several other dam experts opposed the big dam apprehending a major disaster in the downstream areas.
The speakers further has appealed to the people of all sections to stand united against the NHPC project.
In yet another setback for Asom Gana Parishad, senior leader and Golaghat district president of the party Amiyo Bora has quit his party on Saturday.
Bora has quit the party along with several local bodies of the regional party. Bora, was the party MLA in 1985. Later, he was took over as the APSC chairman. After the end of his stint he rejoined the party and contested from Golaghat in the last assembly polls where he was defeated.
A massive manhunt is underway along the Assam-Meghalaya border to rescue abducted State Bank of India official V K Gupta who was kidnapped on Thursday.
Meghalaya Police are in constant touch with Assam police to step up security in both sides of the area to trace the SBI heavyweight.
A massive manhunt has been launched by security forces on both sides of Assam and Meghalaya border to rescue Gupta. Representatives of banks having business operations in Garo Hills of Meghalay met and unanimously appealed to abductors to release Gupta unharm.
The assistant general manager (inspection)of State Bank of India(SBI) posted in Guwahati was abducted in Goalpara district of Assam by armed...
An uneasy situation is prevailing in Byrnihat along Assam-Meghalaya border on Saturday after over 25 houses were burnt down at the height of a group clash in the afternoon. Police and CRPF jawans are patrolling in the small village. Top ranked officials from Guwahati and Ri Bhoi district of Meghalaya are monitoring the situation hours after armed miscreants attacked the villagers and set on fire around 25 houses including 10 shops. The panic-stricken people in the village are confining to their homes from the afternoon.
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