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31st Aug 2018 09:08:PM Editorials
Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu the other day informed the state Assembly that public hearing for the 2,700 MW Lower Siang hydro-electric project in Siang district could not be conducted due to opposition from local people. In the same vein, he also said that the project will not be started as long as there is opposition from the local people. Like the Chinese proverb says, “though young in years old in wisdom,” the Chief Minister’s stand will be appreciated by one and all. Ever since mega hydro-electric projects were proposed in the state, there have been a protest against the dams and many tribal communities (in this instant case the Adi tribe) have been up in arms against such projects. On the other hand, Khandu has been on record as far back as September last year that opposition to hydroelectric projects in the state was fuelled by narrow vested political interests and hence required adequate awareness programmes to dispel the fears. People in the state often fall prey to misinformation and thus carry a lot of negative notions about large dams, Khandu had said.
The Siang People’s Forum (SPF) and Lower Siang Dam Affected Peoples’ Forum (LSDAPF) have been spearheading the anti-mega dam movement in the Siang valley. The SPF had declared that the four districts would not compromise on their demand of scrapping all mega dams over the Siang river.
While construction on some has been halted by the courts, others continue. One of the major hydroelectric projects, the 2000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro-electric Project construction is on a standstill as many organizations in Assam like Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), AASU and others are blocking the construction work. Already hundreds of crores of taxpayers money have been spent and almost 60 percent of the construction is over.
Governments need to work to allay the fears of the people. There is need for creating awareness to win over the people.
Kenter Joya Riba
(Managing Editor)She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313
