Opposition mounts against Kulsi River hydropower project ahead of June 9 protest
Strong resistance has emerged from Rabha community groups and local organizations against the proposed 55-MW Kulsi hydropower-cum-irrigation project.
A file image of Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma & Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma.
Palasbari, June 8: Widespread opposition has erupted against the proposed 55-megawatt hydropower-cum-irrigation project on the Kulsi river following a recent meeting between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma at Koinadhara guest house. During the meeting, the two State leaders reportedly agreed to move forward with the controversial project, which has triggered strong reactions from local organizations.
At a press conference held at the central office of the Chhaygaon Anchalik Rabha Students' Union in Rihabari, several Rabha community organizations including the Rabha Mahila Parishad and the Sixth Schedule Demand Committee voiced fierce opposition to the proposed dam on Friday.
ARSU central committee vice president Pradip Rabha expressed strong opposition towards the decision of both the governments and called for an immediate rollback of the proposed move.
The student body warned that if the project is not cancelled, it will launch a large-scale democratic protest in collaboration with the local populace. A major protest has been scheduled for June 9 at Ukium, a village along the Assam-Meghalaya border, with participation from various ethnic and indigenous groups.
Speaking at the press meet, Pradip Rabha stated that the hydropower project poses a serious threat to the lives and livelihoods of people of the region. He emphasized the ecological and cultural importance of the Kulsi river, which branches out into Kukurmara and Chhaygaon before further splitting and flowing through Hatigarh and Kharkhori. The river, he said, is the lifeline of the greater South Kamrup region.
He warned that the construction of a 62-metre-high concrete dam would not only endanger the area's biodiversity but also put iconic species like the Gangetic dolphin at risk. The project is also expected to have negative consequences on the ecologically significant Chandubi lake. Additionally, sudden water releases from the dam could devastate houses, farmland, and livestock of downstream communities.
The Rabha Students' Union urged the government not to carry out projects that could harm local residents and instead called for the implementation of the Sixth Schedule in the region rather than a proposed satellite township.
President of the Chhaygaon ARSU, Laskar Rabha, confirmed that the June 9 protest at Ukium will see the participation of multiple communities as a united stand against the hydropower project.