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.
The Asom Gana Parishad will hold yet another round of talks with BJP heavyweights on Wednesday as the crucial meeting with Rajnath Singh on Sunday evening in Delhi failed to arrive at any decision.According to information, the deadlock over the prestigious Guwahati Lok Sabha seat refused to die down as some AGP leaders are still not ready to leave the Guwahati seat.Sunday's meeting convened at the residence of Rajnath Singh was attended by AGP president Chandra Mohan Patowary, Birendra Prasad Baishya, Kumar Deepak Das, Arun Sarma, Phani Bhushan Chaudhury and Padma Hazarika.
Six AGP leaders are holding talks with BJP president Rajnath Singh in New Delhi to clear the list of the candidates for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls.The meeting started at around 7-40 on Saturday evening at the residence of Rajnath Singh. The meeting is being attended by AGP leaders Chandra Mohan Patowary, Phani Bhushan Chaudhury, Birendra Prasad Biashya, Kumar Depak Das, Padma Hazarika and Dr Arun Sarma. The meeting is understood to have formally left for Guwahati seat for BJP setting aside resentment within the regional party.
BJP Krishak Morcha has alleged that the UPA government and the Centre and the Assam Government in Dispur have not done enough for the well being of the farmer.Talking to reporters on Sunday in Guwahati, BJP farmer cell general secretary Raghavendra Sarma called the UPA government’s loan waiver nothing but a poll gimmick. Sarma arrived in Guwahti to participate in two farmers’ rally in Guwahati and Rangiya on Monday and Tuesday. Sarma is scheduled to attend a meeting of the farmers at fancy Bazar on Monday. This would be followed by another farmers rally March 3 in Rangiya.
Properties worth several lakhs have been reduced to ashes as a devastating fire broke out in Fatasheel Ambari area in the city of Guwahati on Sunday.According to information, the incident took place at the Babupatti residential area were the fire engulfed as many as sixty houses in the afternoon.The actual reason has yet to be ascertained. Immediately after the fire broke out fire tenders were rushed to the spot but by then the fire was rapidly spreading to the adjacent houses. It took nearly three hours for ten fire tenders to douse the fire. The extent of damage has yet to be estimated. But nobody was reportedly injured in the incident.
The Opposition Asom Gana Parishad leaders are holding a crucial meeting with BJP leaders in New Delhi to give the final touch to the seat sharing deal for the upcoming Lok Sabha poll.According to information, the regional party is leaving the prestigious Guwahati seat to the BJP despite revolt from within the party. Thus, both the parties are finalising the lit of candidates. The list is scheduled to be announced in the evening.The AGP leaders in the meeting including president Chandra Mohan Patowary while BJP's prime ministerial candidate L K Advani and president Rajnath Singh are participating in the meeting.
A citizens’ meet at the Guwahati Press Club on Saturday asked the Government to immediately form a special cell to nab the pavement-killer, known as Stoneman, who has so far claimed several lives in the city.The meeting, organized by the Journalists Forum, Assam (JFA) and chaired by Rupam Baruah, demanded that night shelters for the city homeless be built in certain areas. The homeless include not only beggars, but a great number of migrant workers too, engaged in rickshaw-pulling, thela-pulling and other livelihoods. These shelters should have all sanitary facilities. There should be specified spots around religious sites, only where beggars should be allowed to accept eatables and...
The United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) has ridiculed Assam Public Works Director Abhijit Sarma for his remarks on Friday that if ULFA and the NDFB fail to come forward for talks by April Paresh Baruah and Ranjan Daimary will have to forfeit their Indian citizenship.In a statement issued here on Saturday, the rebel outfit's lieutenant Anjan Borthaku said Sarma is trying his best to grease the palms of army, police and other para military forces engaged in the crackdown against ULFA with the unified command structure. He said the ULFA C-in-C has already shed his Indian citizenship many years ago and that he needs no such citizenship. Same it is in the case of NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary,...
The Clean Development Mechanism is one of the ways suggested under the Kyoto Protocol to developed countries in order to meet the agreed emission reduction levels. Under the Clean Development Mechanism developed nations have to assist developing countries such as India to implement projects that would reduce emissions of gases such as carbon dioxide and credits will be issued based on emission reductions achieved by the project activities. These credits from CDM are known as Carbon Emission Reductions or CERs, each equivalent to one tonne of CO2. These CERs can be traded and sold, and used by industrialized countries to a meet a part of their emission reduction targets under the Kyoto...
The Gauhati High Court has asked the Assam government to submit status report on the serial killing of pavement dwellers by March 9.The Court directive came up as a division bench of Justic B N Upadhyay took up for hearing a public interest litigation moved by K N Biswas. The Court has asked the government to sumit the report by March 9. Notably, 6 pavement dwellers were killed by unidentified miscreants during the last two months. Police have yet to get any clue even after the arrest of as many as five youths.
After lots of hurdles and hi-cups, a couple of married lovers got fresh lease of life on Thursday. Courtesy the Gauahti High Court.A division bench of Gauhati High Court comprising Chief Justice J Chalameswar and Justice B Upadhyaya has recognised the marriage of Nazimuddin Chaudhury of Hati Khula in Karimganj and Sania Ahmed of Beltola a valid one despite stiff opposition by thier family members.Sania, a resident of Beltola in the city of Guwahati secretly got married to Najimuddin in September, 2005 but to be rejected by the family members of both of them forcing them to move a petition before the Gauhati High Court.The court took up the case on Thursday and passed a landmark judgment...
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