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.
People have reposed faith on Gogoi government. This has forced Dispur to think of recruitment in the various departments. Education department is set to get the maximum score where over 30,000 teachers are set to be recruited. Same i t awaits the health department in the various hospitals. Chìef minister Tarun Gogoi has already instructed all ministers to fill up the vacancies if these have approval from the finance department.
The term ‘North-East’ is a form of geographical, linguistic and ethnic stereotyping that clubs together eight disparate states comprising of Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Tripura, Manipur, Mizoram, and Sikkim, that happen to lie in the Northeastern periphery of the Indian union. The body of works by English-language writers from this regionrefers to the North-East Indian Writings in English. Some of the most interesting Indian writing in English today is coming from this region. Intense political conflict and complex issues of identity along with some of the psychological and social perplexities of the present provide much fodder for storylines. And the subsoil...
RTI activist Akhil Gogoi is ailing. He is suffering from severe stomach pain. The Krishak Mukti Songram Samity general secretary was rushed to the Golaghat Civil Hospital after he complained of stomach and back pain on Friday evening. Doctors attending on him told Assam Times that he is improving gradually.
The United Liberation Front of Assam has given a private petroleum 45 days ultimatum to quit Assam. In an e-mail statement, ULFA publicity wing leader Arunodoy Dohotia alleged that the Shivani Oil and Gas Exploration Services Private Limited must quit Assam by one and a half month. He alleged that the private oil exploration company has been exploiting Assam's fabulous natural resources safeguarded by the Union Government. Dohotia further threaten armed action against the private oil company if it fails to quit Assam.
Over the years, Guwahati has become a safe haven for a section of UNLF cadres. A hardcore leader of the Manipur-based banned insurgent outfit was arrested along with two others in Guwahati on Thursday. According to information, he was identified as Captain Joysing alias Suresh Singh was picked up by security forces from his rented house in Japorigog area.
A woman cadre was also apprehended along with Joysing. Another rebel was picked up from a private hospital where he was undergoing treatment. The trio were staying in the rented house for the last seven months for conducting subversive activities. Laptops, two mobile handsets and documents were recovered from the house.
The Apollo Clinic, Guwahati in association with Guwahati Press Club has organised a general health check-up and awareness camp for scribes on June 4 (Saturday). The camp will start at 10 am in the press club premises. The blood group, blood sugar and some other relevant parameter will be tested of the member-journalists. All the member-journalists of Guwahati Press Club are requested to attend the same.
Sanjoy Hazarika, Managing Trustee, C-NES has been appointed a member of the National Steering Committee on Health, under the auspices of the Planning Commission, Government of India. This follows the completion of six years of the successful Boat Clinics initiative in Assam that has won national and international recognition and which he has designed and led, for the island populations of trhe Brahmaputra in Assam. The effort has reached over 5 lakh persons in 13 districts, with 15 boat clinics and a staff that has grown from five in 2005 to 240 today.
Dr. Sayeda Hameed, member, Planning Commission, is the Chairperson of the Steering Committee.The other members include human rights...
Thoubal police commandos today arrested a cadre of banned Kangleipak Communist Party(KCP) from Wangoo Chairen, Thobal district, police said.
Mayanglambam Lokendro Meitei (25) of Wangoo Chairen of the same district was nabbed by the commandos at around 1:30 pm during a search operation.
In another development, a team of Bishnupur district police commandos and 4/8 Gurkha Regiment apprehended a sympathiser of proscribed RPF/PLA last night, police sources said today.
Ngangom Tomba(46), a resident of Yumnao Khunou Mayai Leikai, Bishnupur district was arrested by the combined force from Keinou Bazar. After receiving a tip.
Atleast 40 people are feared dead when a bus fell on a waterbody in betweem Hajo and Nalbari. The tragic incident took place when a bus carrying a marriage party bearing no AS 25 A 1949 fell on a deep ditch when the Ulabari bridge collapsed near Charabari. Altogether 24 bodies have been recovered by the local residents. The bus was on the way to Pakabari in Tihu from Lakhara with around 40 people on Monday. The injured people have been rushed to GMCH by the local residents who are helping NDRF jawans recover bodies.
Chief minister Tarun Gogoi has expressed shock at the mishap and ordered a high level enquiry into it. Gogoi, further, has announced Rs.100,000 each to the bereaved families.
More trouble brews in AGP two weeks after the poll debacle. Four leaders have resigned as vice presidents owning moral responsibility for failing to put up a good show in the recent polls. They are Birendra Prasad Baishya, Hiten Goswami, Jagadish Bhuyan. All they put in their papers at the steering body meet on Sunday.
On the other hand, MP Joseph Toppo has resigned as the vice president of the party. He resigned a couple of days back. But the party leadership have not disclosed it. Chandra Mohan patowary was first to resign as party president for poll debacle. But only to be rejected.
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