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.
Security forces have arrested a hardcore NDFB militant from Salbari in Baksa district on Saturday. Identified as Sanjiv Swargiary, he was arrested during an operation by Baska police in the wee hours. A 9 mm pistol with two rounds of ammunition along with two mobile phones have been seized from him.
Police have arrested three militants, including two ULFA ultras, from different parts of the state on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, the police launched a search operation in Noshdia area of in Tinsukia district and nabbed two suspected ULFA militants belonging to the anti-talk faction of the outfit.
A 7.65 pistol and two rounds of ammunition have been recovered from them. The militants have been identified as Kehsav Gogoi and Shofik Gogoi.
The Assam government has banned the strikes in all services relating to the Assam Gas Company Limited.
According to an official release, the prohibition will come into force with immediate effect for a period of six months. The prohibition is applicable to all sectors related to production, storage, supply or distribution of natural gas within the state.
Assam forest department is all set to launch the state-wide rhino census from 15 March.
The census will be conducted in Kaziranga and Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The entire operation is expected to be completed by March 27. On 15 March census will begin in Orang. This would be followed by Pobitata on March 20. The census will cover Kaziranga National Park on March 26 and 27.
The United States of America is interested to do research on the renewable energy sources in the north eastern region.
Disclosing this n Saturday, US envoy to India Peter Burleigh said that the country would send a team of research experts to study the region’s climatic change.
Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Saturday, he evinced keen interest to engage American companies to be associated with the nuclear plants in India.
Over 20 houses have been burnt down at the height of a group clash at a tiny village along Assam-Meghalaya border on Saturday.
A group of miscreants armed with weapons suddenly stormed into a small village in Byrnihat in the afternoon and unleashed terror with blank firing. The local residents started fleeing from their houses. Then the miscreants set on fire around 20 houses including 10 shops.
Guwahati police and their Meghalaya counterparts reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The extent of damage is yet to be ascertained.
There is flutter Assam youth Congress. Two ballot boxes recovered at a Guwahati based hotel has created no less hue and cry in the rank and file of the party on Friday.
Two youth Congress ballot boxes have been found abandoned at the Hotel Rajdoot in Paltanbazar in the evening. Initially, people started fleeing from the spot apprehending it a crude bomb. But after thorough check it was confirmed that two bombs were abandoned inside the hotel.
Notably, the Assam Youth Congress Committee held its organizational polls on Thursday and Friday across the state.
Opposition members in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council on Friday walked out of the budget session alleging various anomalies in both plan and non planned financial statement.
Backed by PAPAS and ASDC MAC Jagat Sing Engti, Kang Jang Teron, Robin Son Kro later held a press meet at ASDC (P) office and blamed it all on the ruling Congress for its failure in protecting the interest of the autonomous district.
Engti said the Dispur prepared KAAC budget where no provision for proposed medical college, polytechnic, has been available.
ULFA on Friday lambasted former DGP and Chief minister’s Security Advisor GM Srivastava a day after he claimed that Jahnovi Rajkumar joined ULFA only because of her personal affairs with an ULFA leader.
In a press statement e-mailed to media, ULFA Acting Chairman Dr Abhijit Asom called Srivastava the brain behind the nefarious secret killing cases.
Notably, Jahnabi, a teacher and prolific writer from Naharkatia left her kids and family members to join the ULFA. Her husband later found a letter where she stated that she had joined the outfit to follow her ideology.
Security forces busted a KPLT camp in Karbi Anglong district during a joint operation on Friday.
Two hardcore cadres of the Karbi militant outfits were also arrested from Tarapung area during the operation. The due have been identified as Rupsing Rongpi and Ratan Taro. Some incriminating materials have been seized from their possession.
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