APCC president Bhupen Borah visits Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: Assam Pradesh Congress Committee (APCC) president Bhupen Borah has demanded the governments at the Centre and in the State to ensure security to the people living in the downstream areas of River Subansiri covering Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Majuli, including Biswanath district, from the catastrophe, apprehended to happen in future due to the 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project being constructed by NHPC Limited at Gerukamukh of Dhemaji district. He has further demanded the Government of Assam to hold a discussion in the State Legislative Assembly over the issues, like collapse of the SLHP Power House guard wall, Diversion Tunnel, landslide in the project site.

The APCC president raised these demands after visiting the SLHP site on Thursday. The APCC president visited the SLHP site amid a situation, drenched with eruption of pent-up anger and resentment across Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts against NHPC Limited and SLHP in the wake of the recent collapse of SLHP Power House guard wall, diversion Tunnel-2, inundation of the Power House, landslide in the mega river dam project. The report of this devastation in the project site has once again raised the apprehension of future catastrophe to happen due to the mega river dam project in Lakhimpur and Dhemaji districts, as a result of which the anti-big river dam organization, like AASU, AJYCP and other organization have again taken to the streets with protest programmes against the project

Notably, the APCC president visited the SLHP site in order to take stock of the situation there in the wake of the report of this devastation which took place due to incessant rain. He was accompanied by Lakhimpur District Congress president Gagan Borah, Dhemaji District Congress president Mahendra Buragohain, APCC general secretary Padma Lossn Doley, spokesman Dr. Hema Hari Pegu, joint secretary Jintu Hazarika, LDCC general secretary (administrative) Ganga Jyoti Tayegam and other Congress leaders. Interestingly, NHPC Limited did not allow the entry of Lakhimpur and Dhemaji district media persons to the project site.

The APCC president held discussion with the NHPC officers after inspecting the situation in the project site. While interacting with the media persons, Bhupen Borah said, "NHPC authority has termed the Power House guard wall, that has collapsed, to be an ordinary wall. But the matter is not like that, it is a serious issue."

Bhupen Borah further said that the then Congress Government formed a House Committee, led by then MLA Membor Gogoi, to study the river dams after witnessing the massive devastation in Lakhimpur district caused by 405 MW Ranganadi Hydro Electric Plant in 2008 due to release of excess water from its catchment area through five Radial Gates.

"Then the House Committee put forward several recommendations to ensure security to the public from the havoc to be created by river dams. Some of the recommendations were implemented. These recommendations should be implemented in connection with the 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project," Bhupen Borah added.

He further said, BJP leaders should not only enjoy the hospitality rendered in the NHPC guest House at Gerukamukh, but should think about the security of the downstream people. He added that a high-level team from the Union Government should inspect the SLHP site to study the safety of the dam and security of the downstream people. He demanded the Government of Assam to forward a proposal to the Union Government in this connection.

Also Read:  Protest against Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project in Lakhimpur

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