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.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that Myanmar still remains the largest haven for north east militant outfits. Addressing a news conference in Guwahati on Sunday, he said that ULFA C-in-C Paresh Baruah was in a mood to increase his powers.
Union defence minister AK Antony has arrived in Guwahati on Sunday evening. Antony has no programme in Guwahati. After halting for the night, he would leave for Itanagar where he would attend the statehood celebration function on Monday.
The Centre is worried over the growing activities of the Maoists in Assam. This was what Union home minister P Chidambaram told Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday.
Talking to Gogoi at the Raj Bhawan in the morning, Chidambaram said that ULFA and Maoists have already procured support from ISI. The close door meeting lasted for one and a half year where the peace process with the various militant outfits figured.
After the meeting, talking to reporters Gogoi said, “I have also demanded more paramilitary forces for Assam. The law and order situation is improving, but we need more paramilitary forces as we cannot take a risk."
The Union home minister arrived in Guwahati...
Union home minister P Chidambaram has arrived in Guwahati on two-days visit to the north eastern region. The Union home minister is scheduled to hold a close door meet with Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Sunday morning. State’s internal security is expected to dominate the discussion between the two. The on going peace process with ULFA, NDFB, DHD(J), DHD are likely to be discussed in the meeting. His meeting with Gogoi assumes significance two days after a NDFB(P) delegation formally demanded removal of P C Haldar as the peace interlocutor.
Immediately after it, Chidambaram is scheduled to leave for Shillong to review the state’s law and order with Meghalaya Chief Minister Dr...
The multi crore UniPay2 scam has reached the court when the victims moved a public interest litigation in the Gauhati High Court on Friday.
Admitting the PIL, the court has asked the Centre to file its affidavit to counter the allegations that a section of finance companies have been running without any permission from the Reserve Bank of India. The petitioners have sought the court’s intervention to help them get their money back. The court would resume hearing of the petition on March 28.
The Assam Assembly is all se to hold its budget session from March 1. Governor JB Patnaik would address the session on its opening day.
Speaker Pranab Gogoi would announce the Report of the Business Advisory committee settling the Business for the Budget Session of the Assembly, 2012. On March 2 the second day of the session would begin with Question hour to be followed by Debates on the Governor’s Address.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who holds the finance portfolio would table the state budget on March 12. The House would debate the budget from March 13. A set of crucial bills would be tabled in this session which would be adjourned sine-die on March 30.
Three persons sustained injury when a radio exploded in the outskirt of Guwahati on Friday. The explosion took place at 8-30 in the evening at Sonapur when the radio exploded due to electric short circuit. The injured persons have been rushed to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital
The Kamrup Chief Judicial magistrate on Friday remanded Anuj Basumatary, Gurdev Singh, Rajendra Pratap Singh to police custody for fourteen days a day after they were arrested for kidnapping two truck drivers.
A section of angry people assaulted the trio inside the CJM court premises on Friday after they tried to attack some media people who poured in to the court to cover the news.
Police officials interrogating them are believed to have found their link with notorious car lifters in the state. Interrogation is going on.
Assam Chief secretary Nava Kumar Das has been admitted to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital on Friday when he complained of breathing difficulties in the afternoon.
Doctors attending on him said that he was suffering from heart ailment and have been undergoing treatment at the intensive care unit.
KMSS general secretary Akhil Gogoi has come down heavily on Pradyut Bordoloi alleging that the power minister was taking the side of NHPC.
Addressing a press conference in Lakhimpur on Friday, Gogoi said that the minister on one hand told the media that the government fears down stream impact but at the same time he holds discussion with National Hydro-electric Power Corporation (NHPC) officials and supports the project.
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