Centre approves resumption of NHPC dam work
Guwahati: Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led BJP government’s reported approval of the resumption of stalled work at the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Power Project, being constructed by the National Hydro-Power Corporation (NHPC) at Gerukamukh along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary, has not gone down well with numerous anti-dam organizations in Assam which apprehend disastrous downstream impact of the mega dam project.
The influential All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) today stated that the NDA government’s approval for resumption of work was not acceptable given that the matter was now under consideration of expert committee formed by the government to suggest measures to mitigate the anticipated downstream impact of the project.
The AASU leader Dr Samujjal Bhattacharyya adderted that the resumption of construction works at the NHPC dam site would not be acceptable until submission of report by the experts.
The AASU has announced that it would resort to ‘satyagraha’ on July 7 and form human chains on both sides of the national highway in Assam on July 12 to protest against the NDA government’s unilateral decision to approve the resumption of construction work in the NHPC dam despite stiff public opposition in Assam.
The AASU has also expressed doubts over the BJP government’s proposal to give multiple visa for five years to Bangladeshi citizens under 13 years and above 65 years.
“When people coming from Bangladesh with limited period visas go missing in Assam, how can we expect those coming with visa for five years will go back to Bangladesh? The multiple visa for five years will make Assam a Bangladesh. The government of India must get sensitive to the issue of illegal migration that is troubling Assam and threatening the identity of indigenous people,” the AASU leader said.
The All Assam Student’s Union on Thursday reminded the Prime Minister Narendra Modi of his widely published newspaper advertisement on April 7, 2014 in which he had promised to fence the India- Bangladesh border totally and detect, delete (from voters list) and deport any illegal Bangladeshi immigrants from Assam also while updating the 1951 National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Assam to facilitate easier detection of illegal Bangladeshi migrants who have settled in Assam.
“All these much trumpeted promises made by the prime minister also included constitutional safeguard to indigenous people of Assam who have faced threats to their identity due to unabated illegal migration from Bangladesh,” AASU leader Dr Bhattacharyya said.