From Our Correspondent
Guwahati: Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Saturday assured the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) of proper security to resume stalled construction works at the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Power Project (LSHEP) at Gerukamukh in Dhemaji district along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary.
The construction works at the dam site has remained stalled since December last year as the anti-dam protestors have blocked transportation of construction materials to the site.
The NHPC which has requested state governments of Assam and Arunachal Pradesh to bail it out of the present impasse over mass protests against dam construction, claims that it incurs a daily loss between Rs 4 crore to Rs 5 crore due to halt in construction works. Besides losing a full work season, about 4000 workers engaged by contractors have deserted the dam site because of the agitation.
Regarding the agitation and stalemate over the dam construction, Assam Chief Minister Gogoi said his government would the government bring in international level experts who can convince the people of the State that the mega dam of the LSHEP is not going to adversely affect the state.
He also said that the state government would not do anything that would be against the public interests. “Today, there are ways and expertise to even rectify designs of dams, if necessary, to minimise any adverse impact,” Gogoi said.
The total cost of the LDHEP project has gone up to Rs 10,799.63 crore from initial project cost of Rs 6,285.33 crore. The NHPC has already spent Rs 5,383.24 crore on the LSHEP and only 50 per cent of the work has been completed.
“It is our duty to provide security to the NHPC so that they can execute the works and we are going to arrange for adequate security.”
“It is up to the NHPC to see from when they start the work but the government’s duty is to only ensure security, which we are going to do very soon,” said Gogoi.
The Chief Minister had also clarified that there has been sophisticated technologies which can mitigate the ill impacts of big dams. “The people in the state are having a misconception that the construction of big dams will have negative impacts.”
“However, it is not true. We have tied up with international level experts who are going to convince the people that dams are not going to have adverse affect here,” said Gogoi.
Only 176 families had been provided government compensation but that is very few, he said. On the renewed demand for a separate Bodoland in lower Assam, the chief minister said there should not be any divide between Bodos and non-Bodos.
“We want all communities – tribals and non-tribals should live together in peace in the state,” he said. (PTI inputs)