Guwahati: Anti-big dam leader Akhil Gogoi on Friday alleged that Assam Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi was selling the interests of the state and its people in his greed for the chief minister’s chair.
Gogoi’s charge came a day after the Assam government’s Group of Ministers (GoM), led by Mr Bordoloi, held talks with the NHPC at Dispur over the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydel Power Project at Gerukamukh in Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, which is being implemented by the NHPC.
Criticizing the minister for his statement yesterday that construction of the dam will not be halted, Mr Gogoi alleged that Mr Bordoloi was going back on his earlier stance.
Gogoi, an award-winning RTI activist and a peasant movement leader, quoted Mr Bordoloi’s interview to a magazine and his statements at a meeting last year wherein the minister had opposed big dams if it spelt problems for the people.
“But now we see the same person stating that the dam will be constructed at any cost. This leads us to think that he is trying to appease the big dam lobby with an eye on the chief minister’s chair,” Mr Gogoi said.
He did not spare Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi either and said the veteran politician should have placed the interests of the people first after retaining power in the state for the third straight term in last year’s Assembly polls.
Gogoi added that the movement against big dams in general and the Lower Subansiri dam in particular will continue till the issues raised by the protestors are suitably addressed.
After maintaining an almost rigid stand on not incorporating any change in its Lower Subansiri Hydel Power Project, NHPC CMD ABL Srivastava had hinted after the meeting with the GoM yesterday at adopting a more flexible approach to accommodate concerns raised by anti-big dam activists in Assam.
A mass movement has developed in Assam, particularly in northern fringes, against the Lower Subansiri dam as concerns of safety and adverse downstream impacts have been raised.
The anti-big dam protestors have been imposing an indefinite blockade against construction material in northern Assam since mid-December last year.
The GoM has held consultations with the protestors in a phased manner and is trying to break the deadlock and ensure that construction resumes at the project site. It is likely to submit its report to the chief minister by this month-end. (UNI)