Stop Rangadi and Pare projects, NEDF tells Singh

By our Staff Reporter

GUWAHATI, July 14: The North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) moved Union Home Minister Rajth Singh with a missive urging him to take up immediate action to stop the functioning of Rangadi Hydro Power Project, the commission of Pare Project and other hydro power projects in the Northeast unless NEEPCO insures safety measures.

There was loss of human life, livestock and wildlife, inundation of agricultural land, etc., due to sudden release of water from the Rangadi Hydro Power Plant in Aruchal Pradesh by the NEEPCO on July 9, 2017.

“…NEEPCO or any of the authorities concerned never issue prior notice to the people inhabited in the downstream and who are vulnerable to floods…This is grave violation human rights, especially Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, committed by NEEPCO. Because of such illegal and irresponsible action of NEEPCO’s magement 11 people lost their lives and one is still missing. Thousand of domestic animals were washed away. This is violation of the ILO Convention 107, Intertiol Covent on Elimition of All Forms of Racial Discrimition (United tions CERD) which has to insure free, prior, inform consent of the affected people. NEEPCO also violates the UN mandate of the Special Rapporteur  on Housing, Special Rapporteur on Right to Food etc.,” NEDF said.

Over 200 villages in the downstream located mostly in Assam were impacted directly due to the release of the dam water. Pahumara near North Lakhimpur, Pahumara Tiniali under Nowboicha Revenue Circle, Borbeel area in North Lakhimpur, Badatighaat to West Laluk in Bihpuria Revenue Circle area, etc., are the worst affected areas by the water released from the dam.