GUWAHATI, Jan 6 � Members and supporters of several organisations including the All India Students� Federation (AISF), Paschim Guwahati Nagarik Sajagata Mancha (PGNSM) and the voluntary organisation Society for Socioeconomic Development in the Region (SSDER), NE today foiled the attempt of the Pollution Control Board, Assam (PCBA) to hold a public hearing/stake holders meeting on the draft detailed project reports (DPRs) of the Rs 600-crore project to revive the Kolong and the Bharalu rivers.
The PCBA and the Guwahati Metropolitan Development Authority (GMDA) officials present at the District Library Auditorium, the venue of the function, conceded to the demand of the members of the organisations, which also included the Aam Admi Party, Mati Patta Dabi Samiti, Asam Mahila Sangha, among others, to postpone the hearing. They announced that the hearing would be held in the next month, said a press release issued by the SSDER.
The members of the organisations alleged that the draft DPR of the project was uploaded to the PCBA website on December 31 last and the Board fixed the first date of hearing on the project on January 4 at Morigaon and the hearing in the city was scheduled for today, while the next hearing is scheduled for January 7 at Nagaon. The time given to study the draft DPR was not at all adequate, they alleged.
They further alleged that the project feasibility report was not prepared by the PCBA. Moreover, they alleged, the project area of the Bharalu river has not been mentioned in the DPR.
The draft of the DPR was prepared by the US-based Louis Berger Group and the New Delhi-based DHI (India) Water & Environment Pvt Ltd.
