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.
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Three hardcore ULFA cadres were killed and a lady cadre has been apprehended in two separate encounters in the state on late Monday last night. According to information, ULFA leader sergeant Aditya Naidu was killed at a fierce encounter that took place at Timon tea Estate under Kakotibari police station in Sivasagar district early in the morning on Tuesday.Acting on some specific inputs, Army's 66th Field Regiment Jawans launched an operation in the area at around 5 in the morning which led to this encounter and ULFA's 20th Battalion B Company sergeant Aditya died on the spot. A lady cadre has also been apprehended in the encounter. Aditya, an explosion expert is known to be the close...
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A security personnel trying to keep away the tires that have been seen burnt by the bandh supporters in the midst of the street in Guwahati on 09-06-08 during the 12-hour Assam Bandh called by the various parties regarding the price hike in the fuel products like petrol, diesel and LPG cylinder. It is mentionable that government few days back raised the petrol price by Rs 5 per liter, diesel by Rs 3 and LPG by Rs 50 per cylinder and came under heavy attack from its allies as well as opposition parties. Pix by UB Photos.
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Assam's overall law and order situation is improving a bit if the recent Home ministry report is to be believed.The report says there is slight decrease in the violent scenario in Assam adding that the state has registered only 152 cases till March 31, 2008 as compared to the corresponding period of the last year when the number of such incidents was 156.The report, however, has attributed it to the sustained counter insurgency operations against militant outfits. It says till March 31, 2008, 293 militants have been killed or arrested or surrendered 146 of whom were from ULFA. activists.Attacks on railway personnel and property continued in North Cachar hill district by 'Black Widow', an...
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