“We have identified some NGOs taking money from international agencies, who then protest against construction of dams. There has been infiltration of some of the groups that have access to international agencies and are working against national interest,” Rijiju told PTI in an interview here.
Asked whom he was referring to in the case of NHPC’s Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project, he declined to take any name.
“The Intelligence Bureau has got names of some elements in Subansiri project and they are examining it... Local peoples’ protest is fine and we understand it. But we must be careful that Naxalites infiltrating inside the local movement can jeopardise the local interest. We have to be careful about that,” Rijiju said.
The Union Minister of State for Home Affairs said the 2,000MW project was in the interest of all – Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and India.
Rijiju, who is a Lok Sabha MP from Arunachal Pradesh, said, “We have already lost around Rs 7,000 crore. Everyday we are losing money... We will invite all stakeholders from Assam so that a solution can be found.”
He said protests were also happening because probably NHPC didn’t communicate properly many technical aspects to the agitating people in Assam and that there would be no danger to them.
“In fact, the dam will regulate the water flow during floods. Still, we will not go ahead with the construction without the local people,” he added.
Construction work of the ambitious project at Gerukamukh along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border on Subansiri river has been stalled since December 2011 after protests by local residents and many groups fearing safety and downstream impact.
Although many organisations are opposing it, the protests were primarily led by the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti. The All Assam Students’ Union has also organised protests.
The Centre had allocated a total sum of Rs 11,000 crore as on December 2010 for construction of the dam. Initially, the cost of the project was estimated to be around Rs 6,285 crore and was scheduled to be commissioned in December, 2012.
The Subansiri Lower HE Project is the biggest hydro-electric project undertaken in India so far and is a run-of-river scheme on Subansiri.
Source: Assam Tribune
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