logo
Assam, Meghalaya to set up joint hydel project

Assam, Meghalaya to set up joint hydel project

The Hindu02-06-2025

The Assam and Meghalaya governments have decided to set up a 55-megawatt hydropower and irrigation project apart from addressing the issue of urban floods in Guwahati jointly.
The two States, which have been trying to resolve their 52-year-old boundary dispute, also decided to erect boundary pillars in five of the six disputed sites, and target the sixth after settling some 'land adjustment' issues.
The decisions were taken during a meeting between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his Meghalaya counterpart Conrad K. Sangma in Guwahati on Monday.
'The two governments will take up the 55 MW Kulsi hydropower-cum-irrigation project after consultations with the local people. The project is envisaged to generate electricity for the two States while Assam will benefit from the irrigation part of it,' Mr. Sarma told journalists.
The Kulsi river, a tributary of the Brahmaputra to the west of Guwahati, flows down from the West Khasi Hills district of Meghalaya. The river is a major nesting site for the Gangetic river dolphin.
Tackling Guwahati floods
'The two other important topics of discussion were resolving the long-pending boundary dispute and the issue of urban flooding in Guwahati. After our presentations, the Meghalaya government agreed that a huge volume of water floods Guwahati and adjoining areas,' Mr. Sarma said.
'We decided to let the North East Space Application Centre conduct a proper satellite mapping of the areas within three months, following which we will approach the Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, for a solution that minimises flooding in Assam while safeguarding the livelihood and economic activities in Meghalaya,' Mr. Sangma said.
The Assam Chief Minister has been blaming the flattening of hills in Meghalaya, specifically for a medical college run by the Assam-based Mahbubul Haque, for the floods in Guwahati.
Boundary dispute
On the 52-year-old boundary dispute between the two States, Mr. Sarma said an agreement on six of the 12 disputed sectors was reached in the presence of Union Home Minister Amit Shah in March 2022. 'We will continue to talk on the remaining disputed sites and try to arrive at a solution as soon as possible,' he said.
'Of the six sectors already resolved, we are confident of erecting boundary pillars in five of them by August 15. There are a couple of land adjustment issues at Tarabari and Gizang,' Mr. Sarma said.
'The Meghalaya government requested us to adjust these areas. We have decided to consider the request and respond within a week. This entails readjusting some villages in favour of Meghalaya after an equal portion of land is given to Assam,' he said.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Siddaramaiah asks Andhra CM to revoke ban on Karnataka's Totapuri mangoes
Siddaramaiah asks Andhra CM to revoke ban on Karnataka's Totapuri mangoes

Hindustan Times

time23 minutes ago

  • Hindustan Times

Siddaramaiah asks Andhra CM to revoke ban on Karnataka's Totapuri mangoes

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has urged his Andhra Pradesh counterpart Chandrababu Naidu to withdraw the ban on entry of 'Totapuri' Mangoes from Karnataka into Chittoor district. In a letter dated June 11, the CM said such unilateral actions, taken without prior consultation or coordination, run contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism. He also expressed concerns that the move could lead to avoidable tension and retaliatory measures, and disruption of the inter-state movement of commodities. Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh had on June 10 written to her counterpart in Andhra Pradesh K Vijayanand requesting him to revoke the ban. Farmers in Srinivasapura, a major mango growing belt in Kolar district, bordering Andhra Pradesh, held protests and observed a taluk-level bandh on Wednesday, demanding a support price for mangoes and withdrawal of ban imposed by the neighbouring state. 'I am writing to convey my deep concern over an order reportedly issued by the District Collector of Chittoor on June 7, imposing a ban on the entry of Totapuri mangoes from other States into the district. I understand that multidisciplinary enforcement teams comprising officials from the Revenue, Police, Forest, and Marketing Departments have been deployed at the inter-State check-posts adjoining Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to implement this directive,' Siddaramaiah said. Noting the considerable hardship caused to mango growers in Karnataka, particularly those in the border regions cultivating Totapuri mangoes in substantial quantities, he said these farmers have long relied on the robust linkages with Chittoor-based processing and pulp extraction units to sell their produce. 'The current restriction has disrupted this well-established supply chain and threatens significant post-harvest losses, directly impacting the livelihoods of thousands of farmers,' he said. 'I am also concerned that this may lead to avoidable tension and retaliatory measures, with stakeholders already expressing discontent that could potentially disrupt the inter-State movement of vegetables and other agricultural commodities.' Seeking Naidu's intervention into the matter, the CM urged him to issue necessary directions to the authorities in Chittoor district for the immediate revocation of the said order. 'I trust that you will treat this issue with the seriousness it warrants, and take swift steps to restore the seamless movement of agricultural produce in the interest of farmer welfare,' he added.

Minister touts Telangana as emerging global skill capital
Minister touts Telangana as emerging global skill capital

Hans India

time44 minutes ago

  • Hans India

Minister touts Telangana as emerging global skill capital

Hyderabad: Telangana is poised to become the 'Skill Capital of the Globe' under the visionary leadership of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, said Duddilla Sridhar Babu, Minister for IT and Industries. The Minister was speaking after a high-level meeting with representatives of UK-based semiconductor giant ARM Holdings at Dr B R Ambedkar Secretariat on Wednesday. During the meeting, the Minister highlighted Telangana's business friendly ecosystem and the proactive support extended by the state government to industries. He noted that ARM Holdings' keen interest in investing in Telangana reflects the efficiency and credibility of the state's governance. 'We extend our sincere gratitude to ARM Holdings for expressing interest in partnering with us in the semiconductor sector. The government will provide all necessary support to facilitate their entry and growth,' the Minister affirmed. 'Our greatest asset is our youth. They are highly talented and need only the right guidance to excel. Through the Young India Skills University, we are committed to creating industry-ready human capital,' he added. Emphasising the growing global demand in the semiconductor sector, Minister Sridhar Babu reiterated the government's commitment to skilling Telangana's youth in line with industry needs. In a major boost to this initiative, Ken Ku, CEO of Malaysia-based Spring Semiconductors, who attended the meeting, expressed the company's willingness to take responsibility for training 10,000 youth by 2030. 'We commend the Telangana government's dedication to becoming the global hub for skilled talent. Spring Semiconductors will develop a specialised curriculum to train local youth in semiconductor manufacturing and design. The training will involve six months of instruction in Telangana followed by international internships in countries like Taiwan, South Korea, and Japan,' Ku stated. He also confirmed that this ambitious plan will be executed in partnership with T-Consult. Minister Sridhar Babu welcomed this initiative and thanked Ken Ku for his proactive support.

Siddaramaiah asks Chandrababu Naidu to lift Andhra's Totapuri mango imports ban
Siddaramaiah asks Chandrababu Naidu to lift Andhra's Totapuri mango imports ban

India Today

timean hour ago

  • India Today

Siddaramaiah asks Chandrababu Naidu to lift Andhra's Totapuri mango imports ban

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah has written to his Andhra Pradesh counterpart N Chandrababu Naidu, urging him to withdraw the ban on the import of Totapuri mangoes from other states, including Karnataka, into Chittoor prohibition, reportedly issued by the Chittoor District Collector on June 7, has disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of mango growers in Karnataka, Siddaramaiah wrote in his the ban 'abrupt and unilateral,' Siddaramaiah expressed concern that it had caused 'considerable hardship to mango growers in Karnataka, particularly those in the border regions who cultivate Totapuri mangoes in substantial quantities.' He said the farmers had long depended on linkages with Chittoor-based processing and pulp units to market their produce, and the current disruption threatened 'significant post-harvest losses.''I understand that multidisciplinary enforcement teams comprising officials from the Revenue, Police, Forest and Marketing Departments have been deployed at the inter-State check-posts adjoining Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to implement this directive,' Siddaramaiah noted in his Karnataka Chief Minister warned that such decisions, made without prior consultation, were against the spirit of cooperative federalism. 'Actions of this nature, taken without prior consultation or coordination, run contrary to the spirit of cooperative federalism. I am also concerned that this may lead to avoidable tension and retaliatory measures,' he urged Naidu to intervene and ensure the immediate revocation of the order. 'I trust that you will treat this issue with the seriousness it warrants, and take swift steps to restore the seamless movement of agricultural produce in the interest of farmer welfare,' Siddaramaiah Karnataka Chief Secretary Shalini Rajneesh earlier wrote to her Andhra Pradesh counterpart echoing the Chief Minister's concerns. She warned that the decision risked 'triggering retaliatory sentiments,' adding that some stakeholders in Karnataka had already begun calling for restrictions on vegetable inflows from Andhra Chittoor district administration has not publicly stated specific reasons for the ban, which applies to all Totapuri mango imports from outside Andhra Pradesh.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store