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KMSS to step up stir against mega dams

By Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 10 � The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) on Sunday slammed the politics of big dams in Assam and appealed to all student organizations and political parties to unite against mega dams to safeguard the economic, social and cultural life of the State.

The KMSS without mincing words also announced that it would stop movement of construction materials including turbines meant for the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power Project at any cost � even by sacrificing lives.

Addressing mediapersons here, KMSS general secretary Akhil Gogoi said that Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi was patronizing the capitalists who wanted to secure the right over the State�s water resources.

�The people of Assam should not buy what the State government is saying about resolving the power crisis through mega dams. The flood problem too in the State would be compounded by the big dams,� said Akhil, asserting that the KMSS would never compromise on the issue of big dams.

Calling upon the All Assam Students Organization (AASU), the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), and other organizations who are opposing mega dams to unite their strength, Akhil said that the need of the hour was a united movement against the pro-capitalist government and the industrialists and multinational companies hankering after the water resources of the State.

The KMSS also appealed to the people of the State to be on their vigil against a section of intellectuals who would be "indulging in a veiled propaganda in favour of big dams."

Emphasizing that the KMSS always believed in the non-violent ideals of Mahatma Gandhi, Akhil said that the organization, however, was against passive non-violence.

"We have faith in active non-violence," he added.

The KMSS has chalked out a six-pronged strategy to oppose big dams and that includes taking the movement to the national level and direct action.

On the other hand, the KMSS insisted that the government frame a land policy that will ensure harmony

between man and nature. It suggested that the government give ownership to the indigenous families residing in the hills and on government land under the condition that they conserve the environment.

On the other hand, the KMSS has demanded of the government to make public the Surajit Mitra inquiry commission report probing into the June 22 violence within 48 hours.

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