GUWAHATI, Dec 2 � The All Assam Students� Union (AASU) today alleged that the statement of Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi that none of the agitating organisations had come forward to solve the controversy over the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Power Project (LSHEP) through discussion was not based on fact.
Meanwhile, the AASU and the 26 ethnic organisations with which it has joined hands to work on the issues related to the mega dam issue, updating of the National Register of Citizens (NRC), flood and erosion, inter-state dispute of the State with its neighbours, are holding a mass rally at the North Lakhimpur Tyag Khetra at 11 am tomorrow on the above issues.
It needs mention here that the Chief Minister had reportedly stated yesterday at a press conference that none of the organisations agitating on the mega dam issue had made any formal communication with the State Government requesting for a discussion on the issue.
But AASU general secretary Tapan Gogoi claimed while talking to this newspaper today that his organisation had sent formal letters to the Chief Minister and the Power Minister of the State about two months back, with a request to solve the mega dam controversy through discussion. The AASU had requested both the Chief Minister and the Industry Minister to take initiatives in this regard, he said.
The AASU general secretary has made an appeal to the State Government not to make any hurried attempt to complete the construction of the LSHEP without any positive outcome from the proposed discussion between the internationally acclaimed experts and the experts of the State who have already expressed their scepticism over the safety of the LSHEP dam and its impacts on the downstream areas.
He reminded the Chief Minister that he had assured steps to organise such a discussion between the internationally acclaimed experts and the State�s experts several months back.
�It all depends on the role of the Chief Minister,� said the AASU general secretary while commenting the controversy on the mega dam issue, particularly the contention resulting from the LSHEP construction.
On the issue of the turbine parts of the LSHEP, which have been detained at North Lakhimpur now after a two-day battle by the members of the AASU and other organisations, the AASU general secretary said that the turbine parts would not be allowed to be taken out of the Central Field of the town until the controversy on the issue is over.
