Guwahati: NHPC on Thursday hinted at adopting a more flexible approach to accommodate concerns raised by anti-big dam activists in Assam.
This development came after NHPC maintained an almost rigid stand on not incorporating any change in its 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydel Power Project at Gerukamukh in Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
The softening of stand came after a meeting of 13-member NHPC team, led by its CMD ABL Srivastava, with the Assam government’s Group of Ministers (GoM), constituted to deal with the anti-big dam movement in the state and the concerns raised by the agitators, at the state secretariat here today.
The five-member GoM was represented by state Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi, who heads the Group, and state Irrigation Minister Dr Ardhendu Dey.
Talking to reporters at the end of the meeting, Mr Srivastava said the NHPC is open to incorporating changes, if needed, based on previous expert committee recommendations.
He also reassured the GoM on the safety measures taken at the dam and gave a presentation before them on the NHPC’s dam on Teesta river in Sikkim, which safely withstood the recent earthquake in the Himalayan state.
On the ongoing blockade against construction material in northern Assam, the CMD said work at the site has stopped since December 16.
He said the state government had assured of resolving the problem and was hopeful that construction would resume soon.
Srivastava added that the state government had promised of ensuring undisrupted flow of essential commodities to the site.
The Power Minister said the concerns raised by organisations that have been opposing the dam were placed before the NHPC and the latter has assured of addressing these issues.
A mass movement had developed in Assam, particularly in northern fringes, against the Lower Subansiri dam as concerns on safety and adverse downstream impacts have been raised.
The anti-big dam protestors have been imposing an indefinite blockade against construction material since December.
PPA demands ‘White Paper’: Meanwhile, The People’s Party of Arunachal (PPA) has decided to oppose Arunachal government’s move to construct mega-dams in different parts of the state.
Expressing concern over the initiative PPA general secretary Ashan Riddi said, ‘Under the Congress government more than hundred MoUs or MoAs has been signed by the state government with different undertaking corporations and inexperienced private companies without prior information to the people to be affected.’ (UNI)