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.
8 Mar 2014 - 2:28pm | AT News
BJP’s state unit president Sarbananda Sonowal will contest from Lakhimpur while former Union minister Bijoya Chakravartty will be the party’s candidate from Guwahati in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls....
11 Apr 2016 - 8:33am | Bidyut Sarkar
Polling for the second phase of the Assam Legislative Assamebly election in Lower Assam beings on Monday morning. This final phase of polling is being taking place in 61 constituencies - Nalbari,...
6 Oct 2012 - 11:48am | editor
CPM leader Prakash on Friday came down heavily on the UPA government for the recent decision to increase the FDI insurance and the pension bill.
Addressing a public meeting in Chirang on Friday...
4 Jul 2009 - 11:21am | editor
The North Cachar hills are still burning. Miscreants set on fire several Dimasa houses at Sabujoy basti village in the strife-hit district on Saturday. According to official sources, the incident...
The Centre on Monday doles out a Rs 500 crore special package for mitigate the misery of the flood-ravaged Assam. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announced the package after he made an aerial survey in the worst-hit areas with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Monday.
Dr Singh also announced an ex-gratia of Rs 1 lakh to the next of the kin of each of the 77 people who met watery grave. He said the the primary focus would be on rescuing people who have been left marooned in flood-hit areas and providing relief to them. The Prime Minister said that immediate steps would be taken by the Railways Ministry to restore the stretch of damaged rail lines which has cut off links to Barak Valley,...
Forest personnel guarding the Kaziranga National Park have found one horn rhino carcass in Karbi Anglong district on Monday. The rhino was believed to have poached when it was found missing. According to KNP officials, the rhino came out of the park territory searching for food and the poachers took the advantage. But according to preliminary investigation, the rhino was killed at least two days back.
Miss Priyanka Bawri from Meghalaya was crowned 3rd Miss India North-East, an annual event of Zest Events, on 30th June at Pragjyotsh ITA Cultural Complex, Guwahati. Followed by Miss Ananya Parashar from Assam who bagged 1st runner up and Miss Swati Jaiswal from Assam adjudged 2nd runner up.There were total of 21 contastant from Northeast region. The First Round saw the contestants in Traditional Costumes by Designer Manimala Mahanta Ahmed. The second round was Casual Wear by Designer Anindita Hazarika. The third round was Formal Gowns by Designers Payal Ohsan Goswami...
Prime minister Monmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi are on a hurricane visit to Assam to take stock of the flood fury that claimed over 30 people during this month. Accompanied by chief minister Tarun Gogoi and PWD minister Ajanta Neog, Dr Singh and Gandhi, made an aerial survey from a chopper in Majuli, Sivasagar, Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Kaziranga. After a brief halt, the duo left for Guwahati to assess the situation in lower Assam. The are expected to announce a special package for post-flood situation at a press conference in Guwahati before wrapping up the visit.
The mob attack on Rumi Nath brewed an orgy of violent in Barak valley on Sunday where at least 10 people have been injured. Police resorted to lathicharge when supporters of the MLA enforced a 12 hour bandh in the Barak valley. Tension is simmering in Barak Valley over the assault of the MLA and her second husband Jacky Zakir as violence was reported from several areas.
Five persons suspected to have been involved in the attack on the woman MLA have been arrested from in Karimganj. Bandh supporters in large number pelted stones and damaged two buses of the Assam State Transport Corporation in Karimganj. Eight minority organisations, including Ahl-e-Sunnat, called for a 12-hour bandh in...
KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi on Sunday dared Chief Minister to disclose the details of his USA trip. Gogoi claimed that the Chief Minister’s foreign trip was purely a personel. Addressing a press conference on Sunday he lambasted Tarun Gogoi alleging that the chief minister was downplaying the woes of the flood-hit people. He alleged that the flood-hit people had been provided with old medicines in many relief camps.
Asom Gana Parishad on Sunday demands a special package of Rs30,000 crore for flood relief in the state. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati, party spokesman Durga Das Boro flayed the government over its negligence in providing relief to the flood victims. The party further demanded that flood and erosion should be declared a national problem. Boro said that Prime Minister and Sonia Gandhi should take steps to provide the latest flood-mitigation technology to the state instead of stock-taking visit.
Two mild earthquakes jolted Assam and its neighbouring states on Sunday creating panic among the people in the time of flood. There was no report of any loss of life or damage in Assam. But the nic-striken people ran out of their high rise buildings in Guwahati to get rid of a catastrophe. According to the India Meteorological Department, an earthquake of 4.8 magnitude on the Richter Scale took place at 1.13 am with its epicentre located at 28.7 degree north latitude and 96.2 degree east longitude in the Arunachal Pradesh-Xizang border region. The second earthquake took place at 9.43 am measuring 5.8 on the Richter scale with its epicentre located at 25.7 degree north latitude and 94.6...
Marooned Assam is ready to receive Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi in the absence of the chief miister. The water levels of the major rivers have shown receding trend on Sunday but the people are yet to get out of the blues. The death toll has gone up to 61 while nearly two million people are affected. Many died of landslides in the past few days while about 2000 villages are affected spared across a large number of districts. The Army said on Sunday it is assisting in Flood Relief Operations in all affected areas of the two states. Reacting swiftly, Army has deployed 122 teams in flood affected areas for rescue and relief operations in Sonitpur, Kamrup...
Karimganj police have arrested five people for allegedly attacking Congress MLA Rumi Nath and her second husband Jaki Jakir on Friday midnight. They were picked up on Saturday night from five different places in the Barak Valley district. Nath has filed an FIR with the police alleging that a mob had attacked her on political motivation. Further investigations are on.
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