GUWAHATI, July 12 - Members of the Takam Mising Porin Kebang (TMPK), the All Mising Students Union, today urged the people of the State to become aware of the perils involved in massive constructions on the region?s rivers, and on hilly terrain across its borders. In a press meet in the city today, the students? body exposed two major constructions, which once completed would threaten the existence of a large number of population spread across Assam. Referring to the recent flash floods witnessed in several parts of lower Assam, spokesperson Ranoj Pegu described it as the effect of water being released by the Bhutan Government to ensure the safety of the Kurichi dam. He said that while this measure had apparently protected the dam, the misery caused to the flood-affected people has been overwhelming.
He said that people of the State ought to learn from this disaster and raise a strong voice against the dam on the Subansiri river. He said that the people are not yet aware of the threats that the 116 metre high dam would possess for the people in the low-lying areas. ?It is high time that our people woke up to developments which peril their land and lives. The proposed dam would be located in a seismic zone, and once it is breached, or water is suddenly released to ensure the protection of the dam, it would have a devastating effect on the areas located downstream. Damage in such a situation would be significantly higher than what happened recently in lower Assam,? he asserted.
The student body reiterated their demand to abandon the construction of large dam projects in the North-east, and instead approved the setting up of smaller, more manageable dams so that major disasters could be avoided. Speaking about the probable environmental cost of the dam over the Subansiri, Pegu remarked that the land affected by flash floods would lose all fertility for several years, and invaluable flora and fauna would also be lost forever. Such a irreparable damage cannot be equated with gains made from generating electricity.
According to the Mising student body, another dangerous situation is being created by the construction of the Bogibeel bridge over the Brahmaputra. In their view, the unprecedented flood experienced in Dhemaji district in recent times has been caused by the large-scale transfer of rocks from the riverbeds of several tributaries of the Brahmaputra to meet requirements of the Bogibeel bridge. As a result, the water of the rivers now has a faster flow rate and inundate larger tracts of land. The reduction in the width of the river near the site of the Bogibeel bridge also has the potential to endanger life and property, especially on the north bank of the river. Giving details of the situation, Pegu said that the confining the river to a narrower passage would increase the river?s currents on the upper portion of the river making it more turbulent.
?It is tragic that nobody cares about the poor tribal population who stand to lose their lives and possessions, in the face of such developments. Every year, we suffer because of the floods, and now the situation is getting even more dangerous. But we still hope that our voice is heard, and remedial measures are adopted by the concerned quarters,? Pegu said.