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.
A two day training programme on preparation of ethnic Assamese snacks and delicacies was inaugurated on 10 April, 2010 by Prateek Hajela, DC , Kaup (Metro) at Handique Girls College. The programme was jointly organized by North East Girl Students Association and North East Development Finance Corporation Ltd (NEDFi) in collaboration with Girl Empowerment ion and Career Guidance and Training Cell of Handique Girls College.
The programme was organized with the objective of acquainting the young girls about the various unique technique and skill of preparing various types of ethnic Assamese delicacies including pithas, laddus, baked items etc. About 100 participants from 34 different...
National award winning Youth Assamese Journalist Amarjyoti Borah has been selected for the Wolfson Press Fellowship offered by Cambridge University, United Kingdom. The three month fellowship will start from April 19 and during the course of the fellowship the fellows will research on their selected subject areas.
Amarjyoti has already made a mark in the field of Environment Reporting. In 2007 he was adjudged the “Youth Environmental Journalist (print) of the Year” by the Forum of Environment Journalists at New Delhi. Again in 2008 he was among 15 Journalists from Asia, Europe and Africa who were selected for a scholarship to attend a two months advanced training on...
Chord of Harmony: The Sattras & Dargahs of Assam, like the subjects themselves, is actually a reflection of the philosophy of humanism and universal brotherhood propagated by the great saints of Assam, Srimanta Sankardeva and Azaan Pir—a philosophy nurtured and carried forward by the later apostles and followers of both the saints. The Sankardeva movement, spearheaded by the Vaishnavite monasteries called the sattras, not only watered down the system of discrimination on the basis of caste, but also strived to save the society from practices of religious bigotry and untouchability by creating a system of harmonious co-existence. If the sattras remind people of Sankardeva’s...
The oldest magazine of Assam, ‘Bijnan Jeuti’ has completed 44 years successfully during this month. This is a popular Assamese science bi-monthly magazine, published by the Assam Science Society. Noted science writer Mowsam Hazarika presently act as an honorary Editor of the magazine.
North East Center for Sustainable Development (NECSD), an organisation committed for the welfare of the people in the region organised one day programme titled as’ Mentoring for Entrepreneurship’. The programme was organised a Batakuchi Janajatiya Sangha near Rihabari in Chaygaon area under Rabha Hasong Council area on 2nd April.. The programme was organised for the woman in the area to impart some training and initial idea on entrepreneurship development. The resource person in the programme were Indrani Tahbildar and Seema Devi from NECSD. They spoke on importance of woman entrepreneurship. Ranjan K Baruah, a social activist spoke on how woman can take part in transforming...
The Gauhati High Court on Monday granted anticipatory bail for KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi who has been implicated in a number of cases. The order of respite was issued as the court was hearing is petition a few days after Dhemaji district administration lodged an FIR against him alleging his role in the recent clash.
One person died when a powerful IED exploded in Nagaon district of Assam on Saturday. According to information, the explosion took place as Fagu Bhumij, the victim was trying to open an abandoned packet. The packet was picked up by a minor boy as he came to see it lying at the Kondoli firing range. He handed it over to Bhumij who was trying to open it when it exploded with a huge sound. Fagu died on the spot.
Manipur tops the unrest state at the height of insurgency till date. Assam stands next to Manipur in terms of insurgency. According to a report by union home ministry, the two north eastern state has witnessed 150 incidents of violence in last three months, claiming 100 lives.
The report reads: 77 extremists, 20 civilians and three security force personnel have been killed during this period. It further has it that altogether, 105 people were killed in six Northeastern states -- Assam, Manipur, Nagaland, Meghalaya, Tripura and Arunachal Pradesh -- till last month in 174 incidents. Mizoram had no major insurgency and was comparatively a peaceful state.
In 2009, 435 people, including 81...
Assam on Friday joins the globe as the state observes Good Friday accross the state. The Christians in large numbers are assembling at the churches to offer prayer to the Jesus. The churches in Panbazar and Christianbasti are seen teeming with people who are participating in the prayer.
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