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.
Parmananda Pandey, secretary general of Indian Federation for Working Journalists will attend a ‘Meet the Press’ program of Guwahati Press Club tomorrow (June 14). The program will begin at 11 am. He will explain the latest scenario of newspaper workers’ (also journalist) plight in the country and the challenges ahead of media industry in India. Member-journalists are requested to attend the same.
The management of Romai Tea Estate, Dibrugarh observed World Environment Day on June 5, 6 at estate's primary school premises. A meeting was held to create environment awareness among the people as well as the students. The manager of Romai Tea Estate, Pradip Tiwari and the assistant managers, Bhaskar Jyoty Phukan and Vivan Moran addressed the meeting. They spoke on the importance and singnificance of the planting of trees. A drawing and extempore speech competition was held among the school students. The management of Romai Tea Estate also planted 270 sampling of various trees in the garden which were donated by Dibrugarh District Forest Division.
- Dhanakshi Buragohain
Dr Ilias Ali, a senior surgeon will attend the ‘Guest of the Month’ program of Guwahati Press Club on June 10 (Friday). Presently assigned as the State Nodal Officer, No- Scalpel Vasectomy, Professor Ali is expected to interact with the journalists during the program that will start at 2 pm. The Associate Professor of Surgery in Guwahati Medical College, Dr Ali will also make a presentation on his mission to make people, particularly the Muslim community of the State, aware of the unexpected population growth and family planning. Member-journalists are requested to participate in the program.
A public hearing on the Loktak Downstream Hydro- Electricity Project was held at Thangal village in Tamelong district of Manipur yesterday. With the District Magistrate of Tamelong district, DMK Panmei in the chair, the public hearing was held in pursuance of the notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India on September 14, 2008.
In his welcome address, Mr. Panmei said the Loktak Downstream Hydro-Electricity Project is being taken up jointly by the Manipur Government and National Hydro-Electric- Power Corporation. The two sides signed an agreement on September 26, 2008 and the villagers could express their opinion about the project in the hearing,...
Gram Vikas Parishad (GVP) a leading NGO of the North Eastern region in association with Aryabhatta Science Centre, Rangaloo; Nagaon observed ‘World Environment Day’ on h June 5. To mark this occasion a day long programme was arranged at GVP’s head office, situated at Rangaloo in Nagaon district The day started with a tree plantation programme at 9 a.m. followed by drawing competition among the school students at 10 a.m. and an open session from 11 a.m. The open session was presided over by Md. Abdul Mannaf, President, GVP. Rangaloo High School’s Asstt. Teachers respectively Najmul Ali, Ashwini Kr. Paul and Abdul Hasim, Asstt. Teacher Rangaloo M.E. School were...
The campus of Guwahati Press Club has been converted into a Wi-Fi internet zone from today. The Wi-Fi Internet Service in the press club premises was inaugurated on June 6 (Monday). The specific service, offered by Java Internet Services Private Limited will be available for the member-journalists free of cost.
The brief inauguration ceremony was attended by a good number of journalists with Hrishikesh Kalita, Upam Saikia, Jamir Ahmed and Rajib Barman from Java Internet Services Private Limited. The service will also be available in all laptops (also mobile phones with Wi-Fi facility) brought inside the press club premise
Some unknown persons triggered two bombs at the residence of a social worker at Kamfasong village, Fungreitang about 3 km east of Ukhrul police station in Ukhrul district of Manipur, official sources said. The two bombs were blasted after landing at the courtyard of social worker, Simthi R Simarei(55) around 9:25 pm on Sunday. No group has so far not claimed responsibility. A case has been registered at the Ukhrul police station in connection with the twin blasts.
Unusual celebration of World Environment Day by villagers and students near Indo-Bhutan international border at Swapangaon near Bhairabkunda on June 5 has been appreciated by nature lovers.Far away from the hue and cry of the towns, nearly three hundred students,teachers,members of JFMC (Joint Forest Management Committee) and villagers planted at least five hundred khoir,gomari and titachapa saplings on the bank of Dhansiri river.They also walked through the picturesque new forests for two hours.The programme was organised jointly by Dhansiri Forest Division and six JFMCs.A colourful procession by students ,villagers,officials and media persons marked the begining of the programme at 10...
A team of Manipur police and Anti –Drug Association Khetrigao (ADA) seized a large number of illegal drugs from an individual last night, police said on Sunday. A combined team of Porompat police and ADA raided a house belonging to one Md Sabir(26) at Khetrigao Awang Leikai, Imphal East last night around 9 pm after receiving information that illegal drugs were hiding in the house. Some 1920 capsules and 250 tablets of Spasmo Proxomo were seized from the house, they said. The seized drugs were destroyed this morning inside the compound of Porompat police station.
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