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.
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Director general Police, Jayanto Narayan Choudhury wants to move out. But only after the panchayat election in January next. The former additional director of the Centre's Intelligence Bureau may return to the central government services. Choudhury is waiting for the state government to release him but sources said that chief minister Tarun Gogoi needs some time to find a new DGP before he approves Choudhury's release.
On the occasion of first death anniversary of Dr Bhupen Hazarika, a "Sradhanjali" progrm is being organized at Assam Bhawan, Vashi, New Mumbai on Saturday November 3 (6 to 9 PM). The program will have Naam Prasanga, Bargeet, Bhupendra Sangeet by Guest artists. All are invited. the event is being organised by The Assam Association, Mumbai and Shreemoyee Asomiya Mahila Samiti.
A minor boy was killed and five others have been injured when a power grenade exploded a crowded market in Udalguri on Monday. The incident took place when two motorcycle born militants lobbed a grenade as they drove through a busy market, killing the minor boy and wounding five other people. Top ranked police and civil officials rushed to the spot. No outfit has so far claim the responsibility for the attack.
An Airtel employee was injured when armed miscreants attacked him in Nagaon town on Monday. The shoot out took place near the the Nagaon headquarters police station when Amrit Das was preparing to the leave for his home. Suddenly gunmen who were hiding downstairs started pumping bullets at him leaving him seriously injured. Policemen rushed to the spot. But by then, the motorcycle born gunmen managed to escape.
There is report of simmering tension in Dhubri town when police sprang upon a group of protestors at a police station on Monday. Around 500 women of the IG Road area of Dhubri staged a peaceful dharna before the Dhubri police station this morning to protest against the detention of five youths late last night who had been picked up on the suspicion of being involved in the violence. Curfew was reimposed on Monday following the clash.
The government failure to check flood an erosion have reached the Supreme Court when the apex court on Monday asked Delhi and Dispur to respond to a plea that the failure of effective flood management in the state.Admitting a PIL filed by BJP leader Pradyut Bora, a division bench headed by Chief Justice Altamas Kabir issued notice to the Arunachal Pradesh government as the petitioner claimed that being a upper riparian state, the neighbouring state has not done enough to combat flood.
The All Assam Students' Union on Monday demanded steps to complete the work on updating the National Register of Citizens before the 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, AASU Adviser Sammujjal Bhattacharjya said that the facts and figures in the recent white paper are nothing but a bunch of white lies. He said that a lot of facts and figures on illegal immigrants are not finding place. He said that various judgements of Supreme Court and High Court on the issue had also not been mentioned in the Paper.
he famed Manas National Park is all set to open for tourists from November 4. According to the park authorities, repairing works are on inside the park. The park remains closed for almost six months during the rainy season every year and reopens with the onset of winter.
Ranee Narah took over as Minister of State for Tribal Affairs on Monday a day after the Lakhimpur MP took oath. She has been a prominent face of the young brigade of Congress in the state. According to official statement, she was elected to the 12th Lok Sabha in 1998 and re-elected to the 13th Lok Sabha in 1999 and 15th Lok Sabha in 2009. Narah was the Member of Consultative Committee in the Ministries of Communications, Petroleum and Natural Gas. She was also member of various important committees like committees on Urban and Rural Development, Defence, Transport, Tourism and Culture. She was also the captain of Assam women's cricket team.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi and his Manipur counterpart, Okram Ibobi Singh, are dead opposed to any move by the Centre to agree to NSCN (IM)'s demand for territorial integration of Naga- inhabited areas of Assam and Manipur with Nagaland.
Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Friday, Gogoi said that NSCN (IM) wants to carve out a greater Nagaland by including all Naga-inhabited areas of Manipur, Assam and Arunchal Pradesh to the present state of Nagaland. According to him, the Centre should have held consultation with Dispur before reaching such a pact.
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