“Project bound to spell disaster for inhabitants”
GUWAHATI: Frontline Garo organisations of Kamrup and Goalpara districts of Assam have resolved not to allow construction of the proposed Kulsi dam on the Assam-Meghalaya border as the project would “spell disaster” for the inhabitants of the area.
“We held a meeting today and arrived at a consensus that we will not allow construction of the Kulsi dam. All communities in the area will be affected if the dam is allowed to be constructed,” GNC Kamrup district president, Anindro Marak told The Shillong Times after the meeting at the Ukiam culture hall under Chaygaon constituency in Kamrup district on Thursday.
Members of the Garo National Council, Garo Women’s Council and Garo Youth Council of the two border districts of Assam took part along with several hundreds of people in the meeting.
Last month, representatives of as many 33 villages along the inter-state boundary held a meeting at Ukiam market and decided to oppose the project which they perceive would spell disaster for a population of over 20,000 and inundate homes and farm lands in the area.
The villagers also resolved to stage a democratic agitation if their pleas against the dam go unheard in the event of a no-objection to the project from Meghalaya, which is awaiting the final detailed project report of the national project of Brahmaputra Board before taking a decision on it.
It may be mentioned that a meeting held on April 21 this year between the Assam and Meghalaya governments and a joint inspection led to a consensus on going ahead with the DPR a few days later.
The Kulsi multipurpose project, which, according to official records, is the only national project in Assam under Eleventh Five Year Plan, envisages construction of a 62m high concrete dam over Kulsi river connecting Ri Bhoi and Kamrup districts to harness its potential for irrigation and power generation.
The project cost, according to an official estimate of June 2017, will be to the tune of Rs 1454.95 crore.
Information sought through an RTI application recently revealed that if the dam is constructed, an area of 15.55 square km of land in Assam and 5.75 square km in Meghalaya will affected by reservoir submergence.