GUWAHATI: The indefinite NH 52 blockade in northern Assam against the NHPC dam at Gerukamukh by Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS) and other organisations has been withdrawn on Wednesday after the Assam Government invited the agitating groups for talks.
The blockade that was being enforced by KMSS, Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) and few other organisations since December 16, have been lifted on Wednesday in response to the government’s invitation for talks. We have decided to lift the blockade for the time-being, KMSS general secretary Akhil Gogoi and AJYCP leader Manoj Boruah said at Lakhimpur.
The Assam Government’s Group of Ministers (GoM) on the big dam issue had met here on Wednesday and invited the agitating organisations and other civil society members who have reservations on the dams to sit for discussions at Dispur on January 5.
The leaders of the agitating organisations, who have been allotted different time for discussions on Thursday, said their stand would be the same and that they would continue opposing the big dams as these would have devastating downstream effects. Though the KMSS, AJYCP-led blockade has been lifted, another blockade is being carried out by the AASU and several other organisations, which is scheduled to end on Wednesday.
A mass movement has been going on in northern Assam against the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri hydel power project at Gerukamukh along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, being implemented by the NHPC, against potential devastating downstream effects. (UNI)
