NHPC's declaration of commissioning SLHEP boils Lakhimpur

* AJYCP burns effigies of NHPC CMD AK Singh, Union Secretary (Power) Sanjiv Nandan Sahai

A CORRESPONDENT

LAKHIMPUR: The 'arrogant' declaration made by NHPC (National Hydroelectric Power Corporation) Commissioner and Managing Director (CMD) Abhay Kumar Singh with regard to commissioning the Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) by March 2022 and Union Secretary (Power) Sanjiv Nandan Sahai's advice given to NHPC to complete the project as per schedule have boiled Lakhimpur since Sunday.

This declaration on the part of NHPC, which was made completely ignoring the issue of securing the life and properties of the people living in the downstream area of River Subansiri, has hurt the sentiment of the anti-big dam activist organizations and public who have been initiating extensive stirs for years opposing the controversial big river dam project.

Notably, NHPC CMD Abhay Kumar Singh, on Friday, gave assurance to SanjivNandanSahai, the Union Secretary (Power), that the SLHEP would be commissioned by March 2022. This assurance was given to him at a review meeting of the project held at the project site at Gerukamukh with a Central team led by SanjibNandanSahai. At the meeting, NHPC CMD Singh briefed the dignitaries about the various construction activities in the project and also the downstream river protection works undertaken. The Union Secretary (Power) also asked the employees to work with maximum zeal to complete the project as per schedule.

In this connection, the Lakhimpur district unit of AsomJatiyatabadiYuvaChatraParishad (AJYCP) initiated strong protest programmes all over Lakhimpur on Monday. All the regional committees under the Lakhimpur district unit of AJYCP, viz- North Lakhimpur, Dhakuakhana, Boginadi, Kakoi-Rajgarh, Laluk, Bihpuriya, Harmoti, Shimaluguri-Rajgarh, Narayanpur, Naoboicha and other regional committees burnt effigies of NHPC CMD Abhay Kumar Singh and Union Secretary (Power) vehemently condemning their declarations and opposing the commissioning of SLHEP.

The activists of the organization rocked the environment by shouting various slogans opposing the dam project and the governments at the Centre and in the State for supporting the contentious project taking U-turn of their past stand.

By initiating the protest programme, Lakhimpur unit AJYCP also condemned the Union Government's 'autocratic' moves taken to complete the project, which is 'a tremendous threat to the life and properties of the people living in the downstream area of river Subansiri', without honouring the public agitation against it.

In this connection, Lakhimpur unit AJYCP president HiranyaDutta, general secretary DebojitDekaBaruah, joint secretary DigantaBhuyan stated that AJYCP had been continuing its stir against SLHEP for years and it would be continuing in future too. They declared that the organization would keep a close watch on the transportation of turbine and other machines by NHPC to SLHEP site at Gerukamukh.

Attending the protest programme in North Lakhimpur town, AJYCP central committee assistant secretary Sourabh Das also became vocal against NHPC and the State and Union governments regarding the issue. In addition to him, Lakhimpur unit AJYCP vice president PapuBaruah, finance secretary RajuPurti, organizing secretaryDipankarDutta and other dignitaries were present in the protest programme. Notably, the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) also expressed strong reaction on Sunday over the declarations of NHPC CMD Abhay Kumar Singh and Union Secretary (Power) SanjivNandanSahai.

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