OUR CORRESPONDENT
HAFLONG: Strong opposition has emerged from the residents of Moti Lampu, Moti Hojai, and Riam Bathari villages under Hadingma constituency in Dima Hasao district against a proposed 1200 MW hydro-electric power project planned to be set up jointly by the Assam Power Generation Corporation Ltd (APGCL) and Adani Green Energy Ltd.
In a memorandum addressed to the President of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Assam Pradesh, Dilip Saikia, the village representatives Mohonlal Rajiyung, Gaon Bura of Moti Lampu village, and Joytolal Khersa, Gaon Bura of Moti Hojai village, along with Nailon Bathari of Riam Bathari village, expressed deep concern over the reported clearance of a ‘No Objection Certificate’ (NOC) by the North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council (NCHAC) for the proposed project site.
According to the memorandum, the villagers have learned that the Forest Department has already conducted a survey for the project. They apprehend that once commissioned, the hydropower project would lead to submergence of fertile agricultural and jhum (slash-and-burn) cultivation land, which forms the mainstay of their livelihood.
The objection letter also highlights the ecological impact of the project, warning that ‘abundant forest cover, rare wildlife, flora and fauna, streams, and the ecological balance will be lost forever,’ leaving the indigenous population without means of sustenance.
The signatories stated that the inhabitants of the three villages have been living in the area since time immemorial and depend primarily on agriculture, particularly eri-muga silkworm rearing and traditional jhum cultivation. They argued that the establishment of the hydro project would deprive them of their livelihood and displace tribal families from their ancestral lands.
Terming the move as a case of ‘making a few rich people richer,’ the villagers conveyed their decision to democratically protest the project until its withdrawal. They appealed to the BJP leadership to intervene urgently and ensure that the project was withdrawn to protect the rights and future of the tribal populace in the area.