Medha Patkar attacks Assam on mega dams on Brahmaputra

GUWAHATI - Medha Patkar, noted social activist and leader of the Narmada Bachao Andolan, Wednesday launched a blistering attack on the Assam government for going ahead with the construction of mega dams over the Brahmaputra river and warned of mass uprising if such projects were not stopped immediately.

“The people of Assam and the northeast would revolt if such dams are allowed to go ahead. Construction of dams would kill the Brahmaputra and kill the people of the region and we shall never let such projects to continue,” Medha Patkar told a massive anti-dam rally here.

The rally was organised by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti (KMSS), a group led by farmer’s leader Akhil Gogoi.

“The Assam government is anti-people as it is going ahead with the dam construction ignoring popular sentiments and also a report by an expert team highlighting the adverse impact of such projects,” she said.

The rally was organised to protest the construction of the Lower Subansiri hydroelectric project by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation at Gerukamukh in Dhemaji district.

The project was expected to generate 2,000 MW electricity.

“Electricity at the cost of the people is not what we want,” Patkar said.

More than 5,000 people attended the rally.

The KMSS was earlier denied permission to take out a procession to the state assembly and only asked to hold a rally.

“This is a gross violation of human rights by the Assam government. The government is trying to sabotage and muffle the voices of the people,” Gogoi said.