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.
The Assam government is planning some change in the NRC papers. Disclosing this at a press conference in Guwahati om Sunday government spokesperson Himanta Biswa Sarma said NRC upgradation work has been suspended for a very brief period of time. "Let the Chief Minister return from Delhi. We will talk to the various parties and organisation before resuming the project" said the minister.
Sarma said the government has ordered a judicial probe into the recent Barpeta firing where 5 persons does and over 50 injured.
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is recovering a day after he was admitted Max Hospital in Delhi when complained of high blood pressure.
According to information, Gogoi's condition is quite stable and is likely to be released on Sunday afternoon. Gogoi, who had gone to New Delhi to attend the National Development Council meeting, fell ill in the morning as he was attending the country's higest policy making body meet. He was rushed to the hospital for constant monitoring and thorough check up.
As the D-Day comes closer, the city of Guwahati prepares itself for the day with round the clock checks, security set-ups and other arrangements. In the spate of the recent bomb blast in Fancy bazar last week, various checkpoints have been set up in different parts of the city to vigilate coming in and around the city.
The venue where Indepence Day is to be celebrated, the Latasil field, have been kept on tight vigil since this month beginning. Policemen have been deployed in and around the field and it has been lit up with lights for better vigil., The policemen keep a 24 hour vigil and conduct checks.
Ananya Bhattacharjee, Guwahati
In a major set back to the Tarun Gogoi government, the Guwahati High Court has ordered repoll in two booths of the Assembly constituency from where Social Welfare Minister Akon Bora had won as a Congress candidate in the 2006 polls.
The historic judgment came up when Justice I. A. Ansari was hearing a writ petition filed by former Asom Gana Parishad minister Atul Bora, directed election officials to hold repoll at the earliest for the two polling stations - No 196 and 164 of the 52 Dispur Assembly constituency.
The AGP candidate, who had contested against the minister, had lost the polls by a mere 813 votes.
Bora had filed a petition with the High Court alleging election malpractices...
A hardcore ULFA cadre died during an encounter with police in Dibrugarh district of Assam on Tuesday. The encounter took place in the morning at Jokai forest area where ULFA cadre Biplab Baruah was killed. Biplab came over ground 2 years back but recent he disappeared and went back to the jungles.
At least six policemen have been injured when an oil tanker hit their vehicle on NH-31 in the outskirt of Guwahati on Sunday. The accident took place in the morning as the oil tanker hit the police van from the rear at Chotsil. The tanker hit a herd of cattle, killing eight cows on the spot.
All the injured policemen have been rushed to Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. The driver of the vehicle has been absconding.
In Its continuing crackdown, Bangladesh has captured one more ULFA leader on its soil on Saturday. According to a section of Bangldesh media, Rapid Action Battalion arrested ULFA leader Ranjan Chowdhury along with one of his Bangladeshi associates in Bhairab upazila of Kishoreganj early in the morning.
An team of the elite force with the help of Rab-9 conducted an operation in Laxmipur area and captured the ULFA leader and his associate Pradip Marak, 55, of Sherpur. A pistol, one revolver, four bullets, four bombs and some bomb-making materials were also found in his possession. They were taken to the Rab headquarters hours after the arrests. The Rab director said the drive was conducted...
Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday claimed to have improved the state's economy in the last 9 years. Concluding the debate on White paper on Friday in the Assembly, Gogoi said the performance of his government is much better than the AGP who came to power for two terms. "When we came to power, the financial health was ailing. But the things have changed a lot" said Gogoi. The Chief Minister said initially his government stressed on roads and bridges in rural areas and as a result these have improved connectivity across the sate.
One person has been injured when a gang of armed gang of dacoits targeted two youths in Guwahati on Friday. The incident took place at Lokhora Charialiat around 3 in the afternoon when the youths came to deposit a huge amount of money at the State Bank of India. The one who was driving teh car was hurt in the firing. Amid a commotion, the dacoits managed to escape from the spot. The injured person was rushed to GMCH. The due who with at DTO office had Rs.25 lakh with them at be deposited at the Bank.
Police on Friday have arrested two youths near Guwahati charging the duo with killing a minor boy hours after they kidnapped him. According to information, the body of Kundan Das of Dharapur was found on Friday a day after the Calss V student went missing. Further investigation is goign on
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