Guwahati: Facing stiff public resistance against the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project on the Brahmaputra in bordering Arunachal Pradesh over concerns of devastating downstream impacts, the Assam Government on Thursday sought to allay such apprehensions.
State Power Minister Pradyut Bordoloi emphasised that the state government will not sign the MoU with the NHPC, which is building the dam, until the concerns of the people are adequately addressed.
”The Assam Government has given the NoC to the NHPC in 2000 itself, when the AGP was in power here and the NDA at the Centre. But our government will not sign the MoU until we are convinced about the safety of life, property and environment,” Bordoloi said here.
He, however, failed to clarify whether the Assam Government’s refusal to sign the MoU can actually restrain the NHPC from commissioning the dam when it’s ready.
The lower Subansiri project is expected to be completed by 2014.
”The state government will not allow the dam to be built unless we are convinced about the safety of our people,” Bordoloi added. (UNI)
