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.
Mid April the major festival of composite Assamese society the Rongali Bihu begins, this also brings exuberance to the youths even to the aged and kids. As Assam and the Assamese people are gearing up with the preparation of Bihu; UB Photos – a premier news photo agency of North East India came out with full length commercial Bihu Video CD “Jaan Oi Zowan Doi” to be part of this gala celebration this year. The artists and producers released the VCD yesterday in a ceremony in UB Photos premises.Speaking on the sidelines of the release Chief Photo Editor and Proprietor UB Photos Utpal Baruah outlined how and why UB Photos conceptualized on making of a Video Cd though it was a...
The poll process for the second phase slated for April 23 began across Assam with President Pratibha Patil issued notification on Saturday.According to the notification, the last date for filing nominations is April 4 while the scrutiny will take place on April 6. The last date for withdrawal of nomibnation is being fixed on April 8. In Barpeta seat 115 micro observers will be deployed in the constituency citing it a constituency of hyper micro sentitive.The authorities have identified 53 pooling booths as hyper sensitive, 72 sensitive with a micro sensitive booth in Udalguri district.In Tezpur , 273 polling booths have been identified as sensitive, 273 as hyper sensitive and 61 as micro...
The Assam state zoo authorities have captured a four-year old leopard from Sahokuchi area in Guwahati on Saturday morning after it had sneaked into the human habitat from the nearby jungles.According to information, the leopard was spotted by a local resident Hemanta Barman who informed it to the forest officials. Later it was rushed to the zoo. This is the third one leopard captured in the city of Guwahati.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi charged the Opposition AGP and BJP with fielding a charge-sheeted candidate to contest the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls. Addressing the reporters at a function on Saturday, Gogoi said he would name the candidate in question only if both the parties deny.The Chief Minister observed that the political parties talk of Bangladeshi influx only in the run up to the polls and forget it as soon as they manage to get elected. He said it was his government which took the initiatives to update the national registrar of citizens.Gogoi maintained that he was Rajiv Gandhi, who signed the Assam Accord which include IIT, Bogeebel bridhe, Kalakhsetra, gas cracker along with...
Amid a simmering pre poll scenario, Tezpur Congress candidate and sitting MP Mani Kumar Subba escaped unhurt as some unidentified miscreants attacked his convoy on Friday afternoon in Gohpur.According to information, the incident took place at Khergate area near Gohpur at around 3 in the afternoon. Five Congressmen sustained serious injury in the attack and a Maruti vehicle was left mangled. Meanwhile, police have arrested 7 persons for interrogation. Significantly, the incident took place at the village of his rival Ripun Bora. Details awaited.
An uneasy pre poll situation is prevailing in Kokrajhar when unidentified blank fired in front of a BPF election office on Friday morning forcing the authorities to beef up security arrangement in the western Assam district. . According to information, the incident took place at Jharbari area as some unidentified blank fired in front of an election office of the Hagrama Mohilary led BPF office. No one was injured in the incidentThe incident of blank firing took place barely 12 hours after the explosion of a powerful grenade at Khagrabari in Chirang district targeting a BPF election rally on Thursday evening. The tragedy was averted as by then the rally was over. One person was injury in...
Eminent Assamese author Dr Lakshmi Nandan Bora will attend the Guest of the Month programme of Guwahati Press Club on Friday (March 27). The progamme will begin at 2.30 pm.The former President of Asom Sahitya Sabha and recently awarded with the prestigious Saraswati Samman for his novel Kayakalpa, Bora will interact with the member-journalists during the programme.
Three days after Anil Majundar was shot dead, city police on Thursday has released the sketch of the gunman urging to the people to help them identify the culprit. According to information, the sketch was prepared by the Kolkata based experts with the statement of the driver of the veteran journalist as the entire incident took place in his full view on Tuesday night in Rajgarh. The gunman is suspected to be aged in between 30 to 35 of 5 feet height.On the other hand, police investigation is in progress to nab the culprit. Police officials say, they are probing it in three separate angles.Meanwhile, the AJYCP has observed black day on Thursday in protest against the killing of the...
Atleast 15 people are missing when a boat capsized on the Brahmaputra near Bhutnath in Guwahati on Thursday. According to information, the boat capsized following a strong wind that lashed Kamrup at around 2 in the afternoon. Rescue operation is on. Five persons have been rescued so far. In yet another incidentr near Kiring gaon in North Guwahati, several persons are missing after a small boat capsized caught ion a string wind. Rescue operation is in progress.
Atleast 12 persons including two CRPF jawans sustained injury when suspected ULFA rebels exploded a powerful bomb at the Tezpur Civil Hospital Chariali at around 7 in the evening. Some of the injured persons have been identified as Ratan Mahanti, Birendra Kumar, Krishna Gupta, Ajit Pandit and Raju Gupta. According to information, the incident took place inside the hospital at around 7 in the evening. The CRPF jawans have been seriously injured in the incident. Others haver been shifted to the hospital for the treatment. Police have yet to ascertain who are behind the explosion. Details are awaited.
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