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.
11 Oct 2007 - 4:50pm | editor
Mohammedan Sporting Club of Kolkata won the Independence Ccup football title beating last year's champion BSF, Jalandhar 3-2, via tie break, in the final held at Nagaon on Thursday. The...
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The 4th triennial conference of Assam Gorkha Sammelan, BTC Regional committee concluded today at Santipur in Chirang after three days colourful programme. On the concluding day today, a colourful...
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Altogether 12 DHD(J) cadres died at a fierce fighting with Army in North Cachar early in the morning on Saturday. According to information, Army launched the offensive at the camp at Herelu along the Assam-Manipur border. DHD(J) sources here confirmed that at least 12 cadres have been killed during the heavy exchange of firing. Details are awaited.
An astronomical amount of rupees to the tune of Rs 50 crore has been duped by a few people with some fake banking activities in Upper Assam’s Dhemaji district creating a great deal of confusion and sensation in the entire Dhemaji district. The entire racket came to light last week only when these people working with the bank have secretly fled from the town.According to information, they opened an Union Cooperative Bank (ASCARD) branch in Chandannagar area in Silapathar area in Dhemaji district on April 24, 2004. Since than the bank has been running crore rupee financial dealing with its customers through some agents. Not only that they have also introduced a few insurance police to...
A seminar on the subject titled " Problem and Prospects of Eco-Tourism in Asom," sponsored by the University Grant Commission (UGC), and organized by the Department of Economics Kakojan College is scheduled to be held from October 3 with a two-day-long programme here.The organizing committee invites academicians, research students and NGO etc to participate in the seminar on the sub themes — (a) Eco-Tourism and Employment General Generation. (b) Eco-Tourism designed to improve economic and social well being of local villagers. (c) Environmental impact of Eco-Tourism. (d) Sociocultural impact of Eco-Tourism. e) Eco-Tourism as foreign exchange earning etc.The organizer also...
Seven cadres of 27, 109 and 709 battalions of Banned outfit ULFA have surrendered before the deputy Commissioner (Kamrup) RC Jain and Superintendent of Police Debajit Hazarika at the Office of Deputy Commissioner, Guwahati on 08-05-08. These seven ULFA cadres have submitted ammunitions containing one austrian grenade, one 36 HE grenade, huge number of Electronic detonators and some extortion notes signed by the ULFA. Pix by UB Photos.
A traffic personnel has been seen busy in handling traffic at the Bhangagarh-ASTC Bylane linking traffic point in Guwahati on 06-05-08 evening. Pix by UB photos.
The formal process for unification of regional parties has come in for a mixed bag reactions from several parties and organisations.Speaking to assamtimes, senior Congress leaders have said for Congress they have nothing to be worried as Congress defeated the regional party in the Assambly polls while it was remaining united under Mahanta's leadership and similarly, the regional party down in the last assembly polls while Bindabon Goswami was at the helm of affairs.Meanwhile, the All Assam Students Union (AASU) has made it clear that they will not change their earlier stand i.e they are not averse to unification mood only if it sans former Chief Minister Prafulla Kumar Mahanta whom they...
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