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 Gauhati High Court on Monday granted bail to Peoples’ Consultative Group member Hiranya Saikia, who was arrested for ULFA link. According to information, the bail order came up when the court was hearing a bail petition moved on behalf of Saikia, Mr Saikia was also booked under the National Security Act. Saikia was second PCG member to have been arrested by police for ULFA link. The first one was Lachit Bordoloi who was also booked under NSA.
Assam Indigenous Assamese Muslim Development Board has urged the people to ignore the 12 hour Nalbari district bandh call on Monday they announced earlier alleging harassment by AASU and AJYCP on them in the name of detecting and deporting the Bangladeshi immigrants.Talking to reporters, the leaders of the organizations said some vested interest circle could cash in on the situation to spread communal conflagration.It may be recalled that the board announced the bandh call to protest the recent incident in Titabor where some indigenous Assamese Muslim people from Mukalmuwa have been mistakenly picked up by AASU activists. They fear that a section of political leaders and fundamentalist...
A section of political leaders of the ruling Congress is behind the documents being used by some suspected Bangladeshi immigrants to prove their Indian citizenship. Some startling revelations have further complicated the situation in Lakhimpur district when AASU activists picked up altogether 57 suspected illegal Bangladeshi people from a newly set up village.A few of the suspected Bangladeshi nationals when rounded up by AASU activists made some uncomfortable revelations saying a section of ruling party leaders have being helping them even issuing them documents to prove Indian citizenship.Akbar Ali is one of them who came out with these revelations that could drag two Congress leaders...
Peoples Organization for Social Transformation (POST) had organized a one day seminar on rights at the Asel L P School at Mahur in N C hills District on 5th August. The seminar was to sensitize people around the Mahur area on various social issues and individual rights. Ranjan K Baruah, youth activist from Guwahati was the resource person in the seminar who spoke on right to food and right to work with special emphasize on PDS NREGA, ICDS, etc. The seminar was moderated by P. Thaku Hmar of POST. POST was established in the year 2007 to work in Mahur area which is not well connected with other parts of the state due to poor communication. More than 100 individual including village headman,...
Prior to India’s 61st Independence Day, Guwahati Press Club invited a veteran freedom fighter pf Assam, Paniram Das as its Guest of the Month. A brilliant student, Das, now 92, passed out Matriculation in 1937 from the Kolkata University with first division, but joined the freedom movement following the call of Mahatma Gandhi. He had to serve jail terms for two times.
Weightlifter Monica Devi was on Saturday cleared off all doping charges by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA). The clearance came after IOA found that the charges leveled against the athlete were false and an attempt to malign her image. After Monica Devi's allegation that she was being framed, Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh stepped in and approached the Prime Minister Office, thus paving the way for the weightlifter's return.The clearance brought momentary relief for the athlete; however, as the IOA said that it was too late for her to fly to Beijing.
Historical records provide ample evidence of glorious textiles tradition of Assam. At the request of the Koch king’s brother: Prince Chilarai, Sri Sankaradeva took up the project of tapestry weaving for which he engaged the weavers of Tantikuchi or Barpeta. Eventually, the Brindabani Bastra was lost though the last place of resort for the Bastra was the Madhupur Sattra in Koch Behar. The Brindabani Bastra a figured silks from Assam: from the 16th – 18th century (measuring 120 cubits long and 60 cubits broad) are rare silk textile fragments depicting scenes from the life of Lord Krishna in a floral, naturalistic and preciously elegant style are preserved at the Blythe House,...
Sport persons protesting against barring of Manipur weight lifter L. Monika from participating in Beijing Olympic on charge doping by Indian sport authorities, in Imphal on 07-08-08. PHOTO: UB PHOTOS.
Sonitpur Police have arrested four Bangladeshi people including three women to push them back to Bangladesh very soon. But an arrested Bangladeshi national has alleged that he paid Rs 15,000 to a government employee Dhiren Saikia who assured him of documents to prove his citizenship.According to information, in its stepped up operation against Bangladeshis, Zakir Hussain, wife Tavassum begum, sister in law Chorabari Begum have been picked to be deported soon.These people have been sheltering in Goroimari area under Tezpur police station in Sonitpur district. Police sources said they would be deported after completing the legal formalities. The family has two children. Talking to reporters,...
He is Sarawat Ali. Sawawat, owns of 20 bighas of land, have been living in Naptipara gaon under Kalaigaon police station in Darrang district for the last 30 years and his family. How far is he an Indian citizen? The historic Assam Accord, 1985 has announced that those who have come before March 25 in 1971, are Indian citizens. But it’s not true with Sarawat. He came to Assam in 1978 only. Before that he was even a Bangladeshi soldier., he has a identity card to prove his assignment. But he managed to get some documents to prove his Indian citizenship.Talking to a private satellite TV news channel that beamed the on Wednesday, Sarawat said, “I was a soldier of Bangladesh. I came...
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