From Our Correspondent
GUWAHATI: Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) that is spearheading anti-mega dam protests in eastern Assam has called for indefinite bandh of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts from Tuesday (December 27) in protest against ‘police atrocities’ on anti-dam protestors who were forcefully evicted from the demonstration site at Ranganadi in the wee hours of Monday.
The general secretary of the KMSS, Akhil Gogoi informed that police personnel resorted to unprovoked lathi-charge in the wee hours of Monday on peaceful protesters at Ranganadi in Lakhimpur district of Assam Lakhimpur Assam and arrest of more than 400 protesters.
The KMSS, Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) have been leading a mass protest against 2000 MW Lower Subansiri mega hydro-electric project of the NHPC that is being constructed at Gerukamukh in Dhemaji district of along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
The present phase of the anti-dam movement at Lakhimpur was going on since December 16 and was aimed at blocking all goods to NHPC project site at Gerukamukh. The protest has succeeded in bringing works at Gerukamukh dam project site to a halt.
“The movement is lead by many organisations but it is the people from all sections which have been playing the most important role. The movement has gained significant support from cross sections of people and communities whose lives, economy and culture is stake because of the mega dams,” Akhil Gogoi said. The ongoing road blockade and anti-dam movement has received very important support from a number of groups, communities and political leaders of Arunachal Pradesh.
They also shared with us their experience of present culture of mega dams and how it has brought disaster to Arunachal.
“We cannot ignore the fact that tributaries of Brahmaputra are of inter-state nature. Any lay person knows this fact except our political leaders in Assam and Arunachal. The Arunachal government’s attempt to control this river system by installing dams is tantamount to inter-state water dispute.
“The Indian Inter-State Water Disputes Act of 1957 in section 2 (c)( 1) clearly tells that ‘water disputes means any dispute or difference between two or more states with respect to the use, distribution and control of the waters of, or in any inter-state river or river valley’. Not only rivers in Arunachal on which various dams are proposed and are in different stages of implementation, passes through Assam but they are the lifelines of Assam’s economy and society. Ours is not a desert to ignore these rivers’ great and powerful importance. These rivers and their water are not merely for ‘power generation’ but also for the very survival of our rural life,” Gogoi further said.