Noted environmentalist Medha Patkar on Wednesday opposed construction of big dams in the North East to save the region from complete destruction. Addressing a huge rally in Guwahati, organised under the aegis of the Kisan Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), she said the rivers must be saved at any cost.
She said the government divided people on the lines of caste and religion but now they are taking the name of development.
According to Patkar, "People want development of rivers, power, aquatic life and people of living on river banks and not just of corporate houses and a section of politicians."
The construction of dams involved scams amounting to several thousands of crore and some corporate houses and politicians were allegedly involved in this, she claimed.
She appreciated KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi for organising the rally and giving a voice to the farmers who would be the worst affected if dams are constructed on the Brahmaputra and its tributaries.
Patkar, later, fell ill and was rushed to a hospital, while leading a protest march from the Sonaram Field to the Kamrup (Metro) Deputy Commissioner's office but her condition was stated to be stable.
Meanwhile, tense situation prevailed near the Deputy Commissioner's Office when more than five thousand protestors gathered to submit a memorandum to the Prime Minister through the Deputy Commissioner. The district authorities declared the gathering illegal and asked the crowd to disperse within ten minutes. Akhil Gogoi pointed out that they had applied for necessary permission for holding a dharna at the Dispur Last Gate but was denied following they had sought permission for holding a rally at Sonaram Field and a protest march which was subsequently granted.
PermalinkSubmitted by kkp on Fri, 23/07/2010 - 20:24
@Rongmon Pegu: may be there are less money involves in wind and solar energy than in river and dam to fill the butty of our politicians and corporate houses and dalals.
PermalinkSubmitted by Himadree Buragohian on Fri, 30/07/2010 - 16:37
It is really appreciating for renowned environmentalist Medha Patkar and KMSS leader Akhil Gogoi to come out and protest for the greater welfare of the general masses who are a neglected lot by the Govt as their cries carry no meaning for the politicians and the bureaucrats.Kudos to such leaders pleading for the poor citizens.
PermalinkSubmitted by Molokhu on Sun, 08/08/2010 - 16:11
IN THE NAME OF 'USER RIGHT'
I read the news story “Chinese move on Brahmaputra: Govt action plan on user right”, reported by noted journalist Kalyan Barooah from New Delhi (‘The Assam Tribune’, Page 1; Saturday, July 24, 2010). While being in the Indian Union any small entity, be it a state, a group of people have to be vigilant against powerful forces which influence policy makers and decision takers. Unlike the fringe territories, the central mainland has a huge homogenous population, where from springs a powerful lobby which exhorts power overtly in politics and covertly in economic matters. The scene hasn’t changed much down the centuries.
When Buddhism was gaining popularity in India, the Brahmans came up with an interesting idea to retain power in the socio-economic-political and religious spheres. Gautam Buddha was shown as the ninth avatar of the Hindu mythical god of protection, Vishnu. By inducting such a tricky clause in the Purans and related religious scriptures, the identity of Buddhism as an independent religion was destroyed. Slowly Buddhism lost its grip in ancient India. Persons who constitute different policy making structures like the Committee of Secretaries (CoS) are the neo-Brahmins of modern India.
At a time when anti-dam agitation is taking the form of a mass movement, the CoS has come up with a strategy of major storage project in the three basins (which includes Subansiri, Siang and Lohit) under the disguise of a concept aptly named ‘User Right’. Whether China wants to dam or divert the Brahmaputra is not known. Whether China will or can divert the Brahmaputra is not known. Whether the story of a dam to divert the river by China is a propaganda by a section of Indian media in connivance with the Central and Corporate lobby is not known. But that the Central Governement is hand in gloves with giant corporations to exploit the hydro-power of north-eastern states is an open secret now. These power groups with an eye on profits worth billions and trillions would never sit idle over a so called storage project. Any conscious and thinking person would know what the storehouse would hold for power generators and the massive devastation that a minimal gush of water from such projects can cause downstream.
In the name of major storage project alias ‘User Right’, now India and its corporate masterminds will generate power even more than the stipulated 70,000 MWs to feed its evergrowing greed. In the national forum, mega dams are projected as ‘multi-purpose hydro-projects’. In the international forum, major storage projects will be showcased in the name of ‘User Right’ of India. It’s the formula of “Old wine in New bottle”, to fool north-eastern states and the world.
Security forces have arrested a hardcore NDFB militant from Salbari in Baksa district on Saturday. Identified as Sanjiv Swargiary, he was arrested during an operation by Baska police in the wee hours. A 9 mm pistol with two rounds of ammunition along with two mobile phones have been seized from him.
Police have arrested three militants, including two ULFA ultras, from different parts of the state on Saturday.
Acting on a tip-off, the police launched a search operation in Noshdia area of in Tinsukia district and nabbed two suspected ULFA militants belonging to the anti-talk faction of the outfit.
A 7.65 pistol and two rounds of ammunition have been recovered from them. The militants have been identified as Kehsav Gogoi and Shofik Gogoi.
The Assam government has banned the strikes in all services relating to the Assam Gas Company Limited.
According to an official release, the prohibition will come into force with immediate effect for a period of six months. The prohibition is applicable to all sectors related to production, storage, supply or distribution of natural gas within the state.
Assam forest department is all set to launch the state-wide rhino census from 15 March.
The census will be conducted in Kaziranga and Orang National Park and Pobitora Wildlife Sanctuary. The entire operation is expected to be completed by March 27. On 15 March census will begin in Orang. This would be followed by Pobitata on March 20. The census will cover Kaziranga National Park on March 26 and 27.
The United States of America is interested to do research on the renewable energy sources in the north eastern region.
Disclosing this n Saturday, US envoy to India Peter Burleigh said that the country would send a team of research experts to study the region’s climatic change.
Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Saturday, he evinced keen interest to engage American companies to be associated with the nuclear plants in India.
Over 20 houses have been burnt down at the height of a group clash at a tiny village along Assam-Meghalaya border on Saturday.
A group of miscreants armed with weapons suddenly stormed into a small village in Byrnihat in the afternoon and unleashed terror with blank firing. The local residents started fleeing from their houses. Then the miscreants set on fire around 20 houses including 10 shops.
Guwahati police and their Meghalaya counterparts reached the spot and brought the situation under control. The extent of damage is yet to be ascertained.
There is flutter Assam youth Congress. Two ballot boxes recovered at a Guwahati based hotel has created no less hue and cry in the rank and file of the party on Friday.
Two youth Congress ballot boxes have been found abandoned at the Hotel Rajdoot in Paltanbazar in the evening. Initially, people started fleeing from the spot apprehending it a crude bomb. But after thorough check it was confirmed that two bombs were abandoned inside the hotel.
Notably, the Assam Youth Congress Committee held its organizational polls on Thursday and Friday across the state.
Opposition members in the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council on Friday walked out of the budget session alleging various anomalies in both plan and non planned financial statement.
Backed by PAPAS and ASDC MAC Jagat Sing Engti, Kang Jang Teron, Robin Son Kro later held a press meet at ASDC (P) office and blamed it all on the ruling Congress for its failure in protecting the interest of the autonomous district.
Engti said the Dispur prepared KAAC budget where no provision for proposed medical college, polytechnic, has been available.
ULFA on Friday lambasted former DGP and Chief minister’s Security Advisor GM Srivastava a day after he claimed that Jahnovi Rajkumar joined ULFA only because of her personal affairs with an ULFA leader.
In a press statement e-mailed to media, ULFA Acting Chairman Dr Abhijit Asom called Srivastava the brain behind the nefarious secret killing cases.
Notably, Jahnabi, a teacher and prolific writer from Naharkatia left her kids and family members to join the ULFA. Her husband later found a letter where she stated that she had joined the outfit to follow her ideology.
Security forces busted a KPLT camp in Karbi Anglong district during a joint operation on Friday.
Two hardcore cadres of the Karbi militant outfits were also arrested from Tarapung area during the operation. The due have been identified as Rupsing Rongpi and Ratan Taro. Some incriminating materials have been seized from their possession.
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