GUWAHATI, Aug 8 � The general body meeting of the Central Bank of India Retirees� Association, NER was held recently, a press release said. The meeting adopted a resolution with regard to the protest by the people of the North East in general and various NGOs, social organisations and student bodies in particular against construction of big dams. The opposition to construction of big dams in the region followed by strong protest has its roots in the region�s seismic sensitiveness which may have catastrophic effects on the region in future apart from adverse environmental consequences, the resolution said. Experts from the IIT, Guwahati, Gauhati University and Dibrugarh University working in the field have expressed concern over construction of big dams in the seismically-sensitive region.
The meeting took serious note of the matter in its entirety and demanded that the Government should look into all relevant aspects, its fall-out and seek opinions from both national and international experts in the field. Till such time, all works on the dam should be stopped in the best interest of the region and its people.
Another resolution said that the Government of Assam has embarked on an eviction drive, evicting landless people from their settlements on Govt and forest land. The resolution added that landless people of the State have the right to live in the State with peace and dignity on their own land. A vast multitude of the State have remained landless and homeless. Absence of a proper land policy in the State has contributed to the nomadic existence of the landless people and forced them to settle on govt and forest land.
The general body meeting demanded immediate halt to the eviction drive. Already set in motion by the State Government. It also urged the Govt to come out immediately with a proper and realistic land policy, ensuring rehabilitation of needy landless people of the State at present living for years on the encroached land; vesting them with rights over the land for their settlement, the release added.
