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 hardcore ULFA cadre died during an encounter with police and army in lower Assam's Barpeta distirct on Friday midnight.According to information, the encounter took place Khagrabari where ULFA lieutenant Kushal Das died on the spot. Details awaited.
Normal life in Sivasagar district has been thrown out of gear as the entire upper Assam distirct slips into a total bandh from Saturday morning.The 12 hour total bandh is being called by All Tai Ahom Students Union in protest against the death of its Sivasagar district vice president in police custody.Barring the vehicles of security forces there are no vehicles are seen plying on the streets. All establishments are remaining closed from early in the morning. The bandh will end at 6 in the evening.Apprehending untoward incidents the distirct authorities have made an elaborate security arrangement during the bandh hours.
Two persons died and a few others have been injured when a powerful blast rocked the city again on Friday evening. According to information, the incident took place at Maligaon near the railway gate and it was planted at bicycle in between two cars. The deceased have yet to be identified. Police have rushed to the spot.Police say it a handiwork of ULFA who have been unleashing a reign of terror in the city right from the new year's day. One of the deceased has been identified as Dhiren Kakoti.One of the five injured people has been rushed to the Guwahati Medical College Hospital while others have been admitted to the Maligaon Railway Hospital. The three injured have been identified as Rajiv...
The petrol crisis in the north eastern city of Guwahati is expected to die down by Friday evening.According to Kamrup district administration sources steps are on to rush petrol and disel to the city petrol depots that have gone dry from Friday morning as an impact of the three day indefinite strike by the oil PSU executives.
Assam also feels the heat of the statewide strike by the oil PSU officers as the petrol pumps across the state are running dry from early in the morning on Friday. Most of the petrol pumps are are remaining closed due to non availability of petrol. The scene is palpable in the north eastern city of Guwahati where vehicles are lining up in front of a few petrol pumps. But of no avail. Talking toAssam Times, the petrol pump owners said everything depends on the oil officers strike which is entering on its third day.The crisis began on Thursday in some places in upper and central Assam districts where the vehicles have stopped moving on the roads due to scarcity of petrol. On the other hand,...
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gagoi has asked the Centre to take immediate necessary measures for extradition of the banned outfit's general secretary Anup Chetia.Quoting Gogoi as saying agencies said the state government has asked the Central government to take urgent steps for the extradition of Anup Chetia.According to the Chief Minister said with a new friendly government, led by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, assuming power in Bangladesh, Dhaka would extradite all Indian fugitives taking shelter in the neighbouring country.After expiry of the jail term, Chetia sought political asylum in Bangladesh, which the government turned down. Later, his lawyer filed a writ petition, which is now...
There is report that ULFA cadre Pranjal Deka alias Biju Sarania, the brain behind the serial blasts in Guwahati on the new year’s day was killed. According to information, he was killed during an encounter with police and army at Halikuchi area in Rongiya on Thursday evening.Acting on specific inputs, Nalbari police led by SP Jitmol Doley with army launched a joint operation in the area where the encounter took place in the evening. The deceased ULFA cadre was identified as Pranjal Deka..the the main culprit who struck in the city with a string of blast on the new year’s day. His fellow cadres managed to escape.
Sarupathar police station has registered a case against its officer in charge Ruhindranath Changmai on Tuesday. According to an FIR moved by the Golaghat Chambers of Commerce, the police officer has been unleashing a reign of terror among the section of businessmen for thge last few months.
The Centre has extended its ceasefore with the National Democratic Front of Bodoland for another period of six years. Confirming this Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi iad in Delhi that the decision was finalised at a top level meeting taking in to account all the inputs it received from several quarters. The term for ceasefire with the Bodo militant outfit expired on December 31.
The Centre is apparently finding it difficult to take a decision on extension of ceasefire with NDFB with the banned outfit is suspected to be behind the October serial blasts in Assam.The Suspension of Operations lapsed on December, 31, 2008 and even after a few rounds of talks among Home Ministry, the Assam government and NDFB, no decision has been taken so far on extending the agreement.The Centre hopes that the Union home ministry will be able to come to an arrangement and a decision will be taken very quickly. He said any such truce should followed strictly and this should be ensured.
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