Subansiri MoU After Doubts Cleared: Assam Minister

By Supratim Dey

Guwahati Jul 29 : The Assam government has made it clear that until and unless it was "sufficiently comfortable" that the 2,000MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Project would not have any adverse impact on the downstream areas in the state, it would not sign the memorandum of understanding (MoU) with NHPC Ltd.

The state government will rely on "scientific studies" to assess the impact of the dam on downstream areas in the state.

"Only when we are fully comfortable that the proposed dam will not have any adverse affect on downstream Assam, we will sign the MoU with NHPC," said Assam's power and industry minister Pradyut Bordoloi.

He added that to arrive at any conclusion regarding the cumulative impact of the dam on ecology and downstream areas, sufficient "scientific" studies should be carried out.

A part of the Rs 6,400 crore Lower Subansiri Project falls in Assam and the rest in Arunachal Pradesh. The MoU with Arunachal Pradesh government had been signed following which construction on that side of the border is undergoing.

An inter-ministerial group, formed by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) had submitted a report in March 2010, and recommended further studies on the Lower Subansiri Project. Bordoloi said that the group would soon send a team of experts to undertake further studies on the impact of the dam.

Recently, an expert committee report of Assam, which was critical of mega dams in Arunachal Pradesh and particularly the Lower Subansiri Project, has resulted in various students' and civil organisations taking to streets demanding immediate suspension of the project. "We have taken the expert committee report very seriously. We have already forwarded it to the Centre, and want the centre to take further steps. Our chief minster too has written to the Prime Minister requesting him to take up the matter," Bordoloi said.

Coming down heavily on the agitating organisations, Bordoloi said: "It is experts who, after detailed studies, will say us if the dam should be constructed, and not any students' or civil organisation leader who lacks such expertise to assess the impact."

When asked if he too favours immediate suspension of construction work at the site in the wake of the expert committee report, Bordoloi said, “We cannot forcibly stop the construction works. But we need to be comfortable through further scientific studies.”

“I assure you, if it is found that the Lower Subansiri Project is not in the interests of Assam, our government will never let it happen,” Bordoloi added.