AASU blocks NHPC vehicles in Lakhimpur, declares to intensify stir

LAKHIMPUR: The activists of the Lakhimpur district unit of All Assam Students' Union (AASU) blocked the NHPC vehicles carrying construction materials to the Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project (SLHP) at Harmoti on Thursday evening.

Strongly opposing the construction of controversial big river dam, the protesters kept five vehicles blocked from 7:30 pm to 9:00 pm by burning tyres on the NH-15. While staging the protest programme, the protesters shook the environment by shouting various slogans against NHPC, SLHP and BJP-led governments at the Centre and in the State. The protesters came in confrontation with police personnel while the district administration attempted to send the blocked vehicles safely to the SLHP site at Gerukamukh in the Assam-Arunachal border area belonging to Dhemaji district.

Notably, the district administration deployed a good number of police-security personnel on NH-15 on Thursday in view of checking possible protest to be staged to block the vehicles. Later, the blocked vehicles were sent to the project site by driving the protesters away under the provision of night curfew enforced to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. On the other hand, Lakhimpur AASU will intensify their stir against SLHP in the upcoming days. It was declared by Lakhimpur AASU general secretary Dhanmoni Dutta on Friday. He reiterated that the organization would not allow the controversial project to be completed.

Also Watch: #NewsMakers: The Baghjan Saga