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.
After Kakopathar, people are thronging in thousands at a peace rally in Sadiya in Tinsikia district on Thursday being organised to boost the peace process.Organised by the Niryaton Birodhi Oikya Mancha, the peace deal is believed to have received a boost with the support of the ULFA's 28th battalion cadres who have recently announced unilateral ceasefire with the Government. The meeting on Tuesday is being attended by top cadres now in unilateral ceasefire Mrinal Hazarika, Moon Bora, Jun Bhuyan et al.It may recalled that defying ULFA diktat people in large number attended a recent public peace rally at Kakopathar where these ULFA cadres vowed to go with the people for peace and normalcy....
The flood situation in Assam remained grim with fresh areas inundated by rising waters of river Brahmaputra and its tributaries while worst-hit Dhemaji and Lakhimpur districts remained cut-off as heavy rains lashed the catchment areas. The rising water of Brahmaputra and its tributaries had inundated vast tracts of land in several places of Dibrugarh, Sonitpur, Dhubri, Jorhat, Kamrup, Barpeta and Nalbari districts following heavy rainfall. Brahmaputra was flowing above the danger level at Dibrugarh, Nematighat in Jorhat and Dhubri while River Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at Sonitpur, Pagladiya in Nalbari and Beki at Barpeta. Brahmaputra was flowing above the warning level...
The Early Birds a nature organization for animal welfare and wild life protection had organized an anti rabies free vaccination camp for the street dogs on 6th July 08 on the occasion of World Zoonosis Day. . Rabies is a preventable disease. In India rabies is transmitted by stray dogs( about 98 %) to human beings ,livestock and owned dogs. Control and eradication of rabies is governed by holistic approach to destroy the virus in stray dog population, which is the reservoir focus. This can be achieved by intensive mass vaccination(about 80 % ) to establish herd immunity, combined with mass sterilization of stray dogs(about 80 %) to control multiplication. Repeated annual booster...
Chief Minister Mr. Tarun Gogoi laying the foundation stone of 'Modern Organic Market' to be set by Assam State Marketing Board at a cost of Rs 20 crores at Panjabari, Guwahati on 09-07-08. Pix by UB Photos.
Petrol pumps go on strike on 09-07-08 for 24 hours following forceful conversion of petroleum products from the existing 'normal' grade to 'premium' grade in retail outlets in Guwahati by the oil marketing Companies. Later in the afternoon the petrol pumps are being opened. Pix by UB Photos.
The Prime Minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh meeting with the President of United States, Mr. George W. Bush on the sideline of G-8 summit, in Toyako, Japan on July 09, 2008.
The following is the text of the Agreement for Cooperation between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of India concerning peaceful uses of nuclear energy (123 Agreement): BEGIN TEXT: AGREEMENT FOR COOPERATION BETWEENTHE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA CONCERNING PEACEFUL USES OF NUCLEAR ENERGY (123 AGREEMENT) The Government of India and the Government of the United States of America, hereinafter referred to as the Parties, RECOGNIZING the significance of civilian nuclear energy for meeting growing global energy demands in a cleaner and more efficient manner; DESIRING to cooperate extensively in the full development and...
Anup Chetia & 4 others of ULFA who are currently jailed in Bangladesh are to be handed over to India within this month, according to Assam Police sources. Details awaited.
ULFA Leader Mrinal Hazarika delivering speech in a public meeting organized at Kakopathar, Tinsukia on 08-07-08 by "Niryatan Birodhi Oikya Mancha" Tinsukia Unit to start the much awaited peace process between ULFA and Government of India. The public meeting is much more important after United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) yesterday expelled the 28th battalion top guns now in ceasefire, namely Captain Mrinal Hazarika, second lieutenants Moon Bora and Jun Sonowal who have been all out to carry forward the peace process by announcing the unilateral ceasefire with the state Government few days back. Pix by UB Photos.
The Left Parties withdrew support to the UPA over the nuclear deal. However, the Samajvadi Party has come forward to support the government. Some other parties are also willing to support the government. Now the givernment is going for to submit its majority in the Parliament soon and then go ahead with the nuclear deal.
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