SHILLONG, Feb 4: Deputy Chief Minister Prestone Tynsong, who also holds the Power portfolio, has advised villagers, opposed to Assam’s proposed Kulsi dam project on river Khri, to wait for the findings of the technical team.
Earlier this week, scores of them had staged a protest against the Brahmaputra Board project following the apprehension that it will affect some 35 villages along the disputed border between Kamrup district of Assam and West Khasi Hills and Ri-Bhoi districts of Meghalaya.
“I do not want to say anything at this point of time. Allow the technical team to be there and explain to you in detail. Once you know the plus-minus, only then you come out and say you don’t accept the project,” Tynsong said on Friday.
Recently, he said, a team from the Water Resources department of Meghalaya had visited the area for a detailed assessment. The aspect of submergence of the area following the construction of the dam was also studied.
“We had sent the officials to the place to explain to the stakeholders concerned how much of land will be submerged,” he said.
“During the process, I came to know that a number of stakeholders are against the project,” he added.
The residents of the 35 villages have been protesting since 2019 against the proposed dam.
The residents, NGOs and local leaders had on February 1 staged a protest at Kyrshai under Rambrai-Jyrngam and urged the Meghalaya government not to issue the no-objection certificate for the dam project.
The locals, belonging to Khasi, Garo and Rabha communities, fear the project will inundate their villages. They demanded that Meghalaya and Assam governments listen to their voices and give up the idea of the dam’s construction.
Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma had earlier stated that the state government would take a call on the project after examining the detailed project report.