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.
3 Aug 2008 - 1:50pm | Aiyushman Dutta
HIV/AIDS is the biggest scourge to ever confront mankind and drugs weaken a person emotionally, physically and spiritually. HIV/AIDS is not transmitted by holding hands or by sharing food items. The...
28 Nov 2009 - 8:44am | editor
Noted a social activist from Assam Akhil Gogoi has been selected for the first Right to Information national awards along with two others one each from IP and Arunachal Pradesh. A jury including...
24 Mar 2012 - 4:22am | editor
Jorhat police on Friday got remand of Panchi Gogoi Dutta after they arrested the main accused in the Ginoria kidnapping cases on March 10.
A lower court in Jorhat remanded Dutta to five days...
18 Aug 2015 - 10:00pm | AT News
The stage is set for the Tiwa Autonomous Council polls on Wednesday. The polling is set to begin 8 in the morning in Nagaon and Morigaon districts. Morigaon is gearing up for polling at 190 booths to...
A.K Absar Hazarika, President of Guwahati Cine Club, Aribam Shyam Sharma, noted Film director, Eminent Bollywood actress Seema Biswas, Eminent film director Girish Kasaravali and other dignitaries seen during the inaugural function of Guwahati Film Festival on 01-02-08 evening at Rabindra Bhawan, Guwahati. Pix by UB Photos.
Union minister for DONER, panchayat, sports and youth welfare Mani Shankar Aiyar has lamented the lack of audience in the North East Games at Sarusajai on Friday while he was visiting the sports complex. During his visit, Mr Aiyer hoped that the north eastern region will produce more and more sports stars. During his visit, the Union minister enjoyed events of the North Easat Games and termed the North East as the birth place of sports stars. He observed that the fund from the Centre to uplift the front has not reached the sports talents. A set of policy should be there to bring the rural boys and girls to the field of sports, he said.
A devastating fire broke out the Bengali Girls’High School in city’s Pltanbazar area on Thursday in the afternoon. According to information, the authorities have yet to ascertain the cause behind the fire but has initially estimated that it has ravaged property worth one crore. Fire brigade was pressed into service to bring the situation under control. It took 2 hours to douse the fire. Details are awaited.
The ruling party which have majority in altogether 15 districts out of 19 which have gone to panchayat polls. Besides preparing to form zilla parishads in 15 districts, the Congress have majority in block level and gaon panchayats in these districts. The party has swept Darrang, Sonitpur, North Lakhimpur,Sivasagar, Jorhat, Tinsukia,Golaghat, Nagaon,Morogaon, Kamrup metro, Kamrup rural,Karimganj and Dhubri districts. The Asom Gana Parishad too is set to form zila parishads in Dhemaji and Bongaigaon But no single party has emerged to form zila parishads alone in Nalbari and Barpeta. On the other had, counting of votes are at a snail’s pace in Cachar district of Barak valley.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday has said Arunachal Pradesh is in the need of a set of strategies for overall development of the state. Addressing a mammoth gathering at the Indira Gandhi Park during his trip the Prime Minister announced some development projects for the state worth Rs 8000 crores including a new rail link, micro hydro projects and grid based power project to cover all border villages. He announced that the north eastern state will get a new greenfield airport in Itanagar besides airports at Passi Ghat, Along, Daporijo, Ziro and Tizu. Dr Singh said the Defence Ministry would also upgrade infrastructure at several areas including Pasi Ghat and Vijai Nagar. A trans-...
An accidental firing rattled Itanagar early in the morning on Tursday. That too before the prime Minister’s maiden visit to the land of rising sun. According to information, a policeman on duty to guard a road through which Prime Minister motorcade was to pass, accidentally fired a bullet injuring a labourer. The injured labourer was being taken to the Guwahati hospital by the Chief Minister's helicopter.The the bullet went off accidentally from the service revolver of an Indian Reserve Battalion constable while he was posted near the Indira Gandhi Park, the venue where the Prime Minister is scheduled to address a public meeting.
Assam observes Me-dam-me-fi on Thursday to offer puja the Ahom ancestors with much religious fervour. Several functions are being organised to mark the occasion across the state. In Guwahati, people are offering pujas to the Ahome ancestors with a series of cultural programmes.
Despite a mammoth security arrangement before the Prime Minister’s visit to Itanagar, a shoot out incident has rattled the state capital on Thursday morning. The firing incident that took place early in the morning near the venue for function to be attended by the Prime Minister left one injured who has been rushed to Guwahati by the Chief minister’s helicopter. Top ranked police and civil officials are on the spot to monitor the situation. Investigation is going on.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is arriving in Itanagar on a two day visit to Arunachal on Thursday. During his visit, Dr Singh is schedule to lay the cornerstone of a number of major projects. Of this, the major one will be the 3,000 MW Debang Multi Purpose Hydro Electricity Project. According to NHPC officials, it is the largest in the country to be executed by the power giant. Also Dr Singh is schedule to lay the foundation stone of the Harmoti-Itanagar railway line. He will also visit the Ramakrishna Mission Hospital besides formally inaugurating the Rajiv Gandhi Bhawan housing the ruling Congress headquarters and unveil a statue of Indira Gandhi before addressing a public meeting. D...
Hundreds of uncounted ballot papers are being found outside the Panchayat Election Counting centre at Dhemaji Deputy Commissioner's office premises at Dhemaji on 30-01-08 showing great concern over the Panchayat Election counting.Pix by UB Photos.
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