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.
Atleast 20 people have been injured when ULFA exploded a powerful grenade in Tinsukia. The incident took place at 7 in the evening in Doomdoma where ULFA militants lobbed the powerful grenade at a police outpost which exploded with a huge sound. Twenty people injured on the spot who were rushed to the hospital.
Dr JK Bajaj, director of Centre for Policy Studies, Chennai will attend the Guest of the Month programme of Guwahati Press Club on September 11. The programme will begin at 12 noon. A research scholar in Theoretical Physics, Dr Bajaj also studied Humanities and for some time and he used to work for Janasatta as its resident editor in New Delhi.Dr Bajaj authored several books and papers including Indian Economy and Polity, Indian tradition in science and technology, Ancient Indian medicine, Green revolution: A historical perspective etc.Member-journalists are requested to participate in the interactive session.
Morigaon police have arrested a police officer in connection with a number of sensational cases. Identified as Bhaktiran Kakoti, the suspended police officer was arrested from room no 306 of the games village complex in Guwahati in the wee hour by a team of Morigaon. Kakoti has a number of criminal cases pending against him in several police stations. He was suspended a couple of months and yet he openly criticized the DGP.
A three member panel of the national commission for protection of rights visited the relief camps in Kokrajhar on Tuesday and took stock of the plight of the affected children. Led by its chairperson Shanta Sinha, the team visited the camps at Gambaribil and Tulsibil where thousands of children have been languishing in the refugee camps. Talking to reporters at the Kokrajhar Circuit House, Sinha deplored that the plight of the affected children has not been taken into consideration during the stock—taking visits of the various delegations. She said that a sub committee should be set up to deal with the pathetic condition of the children refugees. The commission would send a team of...
A BPF MLA was among the 14 people who procured anticipatory bail from the Gauhati High Court on Tuesday in connection with an ethnic clash that killed 5 refugees in Chirang district recently. The BPF MLA is Kamal Singh Narzary who was allegedly involved in the incident where five refugees were killed by miscreants when they were shifted to another camp in Amguri area. Others include Bodo Women Justice Forum chairperson Anjali Daimary. Cases have been registered against them with Bijni police station. Bijni police have also registered a case against BPF MLA Pramila Rani Brahma who is yet to move the court.
An earthquake of mild intensity struck the state on Tuesday triggering panic among the people of Guwahati and parts of the north-eastern region. The quake with a magnitude of 3.1 on the Richter scale, rocked the region at 1:13 noon. The epicentre of was in Morigaon district. There was, however, no report of damage to life or property. There are also reports of tremors being felt in some parts of the north-east region.
Dispur is preparing a white paper on steps to check infiltration in the state. According to Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, the white paper would be published by October 1 to throw some lights of the steps on the issue. Taking a jibe at AGP and BJP, Gogoi dared them to come out with a white paper. He said that AGP, BJP AASU talked of yet another agitation to expel illegal immigrants. But I do dare them to reveal what they did to solve the problem.
The state government has not imposed ban on processions, demonstration and dharnas in the state. Talking to reporters in Guwahati on Tuesday, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said that he only requested political parties and organizations to refrain from holding demonstrations and dharnas fearing fresh any violence.Gogoi’s comment assumes significance after his appeal drew flak from the various outfits who called the situation an undeclared emergency.
Opposition AIUDF on Tuesday threatens to sue BJP MLA Prashanta Phukan for calling the party president Badruddin Ajmal as a Bangladeshi. In a statement party general secretary and MLA Hafiz Bashir Ahmed Kasimi said that he found it hard to believe how Phukan can call Ajmal a Bangladeshi. He said that his party would demand an explanation from him. Notably, the BJP MLA from Dibrugarh, called Ajmal an immigrant at an interview with a local TV channel.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi claimed to have improved the over all situation BTAD areas and Dhubri. Addressing a press conference in Guwahati on Tuesday, Gogoi said that around 2.42 lakh displaced people have returned to their homes. He said that there has been no new fresh incident of violence during the last few days.He said that the next meeting of the coordination committee would be held at Kokrajhar on September 6.
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