Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad stages protest against dam construction, submits memo to Prime Minister

CORRESPONDENTS

LAKHIMPUR: The Lakhimpur district body of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuva Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) initiated democratic agitation once again in Lakhimpur on Monday against NHPC and big dams.

As per the decision of the central committee, the activists of the Lakhimpur district unit of the organization staged a three-hour long sit-in in front of the Lakhimpur Deputy Commissioner’s office demanding the closure of the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project (LSHEP) being constructed at Gerukamukh along the Dhemaji-Arunachal border area. The organization burnt the effigy of Arunachal Pradesh Governor, retired Brigadier Dr. BD Mishra on June 6 in North Lakhimpur alleging him of extending ‘support’ to the controversial big dam, the construction of which has halted since December, 2011 due to the massive anti-big dam agitation initiated by various organizations and people and the case being under trial in the National Green Tribunal.

After staging the protest, the organization submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister of India demanding his steps to close the project. In the memorandum the organization stated, “We have noticed that the hydro-electric power generating corporation NHPC has left no stone unturned in order to complete the construction of the LSHEP, even violating the court and the resolutions taken in the meeting held among the agitating organizations, Assam Government and Union Government. Under such circumstances, the people living in the downstream of the River Subansiri have spent their days in panic as the big dam is being constructed without ensuring their lives, properties and livelihood.”

The organization, through the memorandum, reminded the Prime Minister about his stand of closing the LSHEP which he declared in the mega election campaign meeting held in 2014 at Gogamukh of Dhemaji district. With this, the organization has called upon the Prime Minister to fulfil that poll promises and to take disciplinary action against NHPC.

In the memorandum, the organization further stated that they were not against development but they could not accept the destruction of the people living in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Majuli and Biswanath districts. “So, our stand is clear that we will obstruct the construction of LSHEP till the last drop of our blood,” the memorandum stated.

GOLAGHAT: The activists of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) Golaghat District Committee also staged a three-hour sit-in near the Deputy Commissioner’s office on Monday against the construction of the Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project (LSHEP) along with other big dams in the north-eastern region. The activists shouted various slogans against the Narendra Modi-led Central Government as well as the Sarbananda Sonowal-led government.

Taking part in the protest, AJYCP central committee joint secretary Jitul Rajkhowa strongly opposed the construction of big dams and slammed the Narendra Modi-led BJP government. He said that coming to the power for the second term, the BJP government took initiative to construct big dam of LSHEP by ignoring the concerns of the people living in the downstream area.

The president and secretary of AJYCP Golaghat committee, Abdul Hasim and Nikunja Medhi said that the Government of India had proposed to construct a big dam which would destroy the future to the char areas of Assam. They said that the north-eastern region was in a highly seismic zone. Yet the government was going ahead with the construction big dam.

The AJYCP Golaghat district committee condemned the role of the Narendra Modi-led Central Government and demanded the safety and security of the people. They also threatened that if the government did not change the decision to construct big dam, the AJYCP would launch a massive agitation against the government with the help of the people of Assam.

Also read: Assam news