GUWAHATI, July 16 � The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) that has launched a campaign against the mega hydel projects being built in the NE region, on Friday demanded that the Assam Assembly move a resolution to accept the expert committee report on such projects tomorrow, the last day of the ongoing monsoon session.
Addressing media persons here, KMSS secretary Akhil Gogoi regretted that none of the Opposition political parties has raised the issue of mega-dams in the session. This is despite the fact that the matter is of paramount importance for the State, which would be exposed to disastrous consequences in the event of construction of mega-dams in the region.
�The recommendations of the expert committee that studied the downstream impact of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project (LSHEP) should be honoured by both the government and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC),� insisted Gogoi.
Calling upon Opposition leader Chandra Mohan Patowary to move a resolution in the House on the expert committee report tomorrow, Gogoi said that if the AGP fails to do it, people will presume the political party is in favour of mega-dams.
Gogoi also slammed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi for dithering on the expert committee report and asked the State government to pressurize the Central government into accepting the expert committee report.
Referring to the stand taken by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), Union Ministry of Environment and Forest on the proposed hydroelectric projects by the Uttarakhand government, Gogoi said that this development should be an eye opener for the State government.
The FAC has decided not to give clearance to any of the proposed projects until the National Ganga River Basin Authority conducts a cumulative assessment study of all the proposed dams. The Uttarakhand government has planned more than 100 small and large dams on the different tributaries of the Ganga to tap the hydel potential of the State.
�We demand immediate scrapping of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project,� reiterated Gogoi adding that clearance to all dams in the region should be frozen until a cumulative study is conducted for the Brahmaputra river basin by an expert committee.
He suggested that the government can initiate the process of scrapping of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project by starting demolition of the residential areas inside Assam and preventing movement of machineries meant for the construction through the State.
For the first time, the KMSS raised the appeal for a new hydel power policy for the State and a sustainable community-based micro hydel project supported financially and technically by the Central government.
The KMSS also wants a study to be conducted on the impact of small dams.
GUWAHATI, July 16 � The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) that has launched a campaign against the mega hydel projects being built in the NE region, on Friday demanded that the Assam Assembly move a resolution to accept the expert committee report on such projects tomorrow, the last day of the ongoing monsoon session.
Addressing media persons here, KMSS secretary Akhil Gogoi regretted that none of the Opposition political parties has raised the issue of mega-dams in the session. This is despite the fact that the matter is of paramount importance for the State, which would be exposed to disastrous consequences in the event of construction of mega-dams in the region.
�The recommendations of the expert committee that studied the downstream impact of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project (LSHEP) should be honoured by both the government and the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC),� insisted Gogoi.
Calling upon Opposition leader Chandra Mohan Patowary to move a resolution in the House on the expert committee report tomorrow, Gogoi said that if the AGP fails to do it, people will presume the political party is in favour of mega-dams.
Gogoi also slammed Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi and power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi for dithering on the expert committee report and asked the State government to pressurize the Central government into accepting the expert committee report.
Referring to the stand taken by the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), Union Ministry of Environment and Forest on the proposed hydroelectric projects by the Uttarakhand government, Gogoi said that this development should be an eye opener for the State government.
The FAC has decided not to give clearance to any of the proposed projects until the National Ganga River Basin Authority conducts a cumulative assessment study of all the proposed dams. The Uttarakhand government has planned more than 100 small and large dams on the different tributaries of the Ganga to tap the hydel potential of the State.
�We demand immediate scrapping of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project,� reiterated Gogoi adding that clearance to all dams in the region should be frozen until a cumulative study is conducted for the Brahmaputra river basin by an expert committee.
He suggested that the government can initiate the process of scrapping of the Lower Subansiri Hydroelectric Project by starting demolition of the residential areas inside Assam and preventing movement of machineries meant for the construction through the State.
For the first time, the KMSS raised the appeal for a new hydel power policy for the State and a sustainable community-based micro hydel project supported financially and technically by the Central government.
The KMSS also wants a study to be conducted on the impact of small dams.
