Latest news with #Arsu
Time of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Kulsi hydel project sparks anger among tribals
Guwahati: A proposed 55-MW hydroelectric project, planned jointly by the Assam and Meghalaya govts in the upper reaches of the Kulsi river, has sparked anger among the Rabha and Garo tribal communities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now These tribes form the majority population in villages near the proposed dam site on this significant Brahmaputra tributary that flows through Guwahati's western outskirts. The Kulsi river, also called Kolohi in certain downstream villages in Kamrup district, serves as a vital resource for thousands of farming families. Additionally, fishing communities along the river are concerned about their future sustenance. The river holds particular importance as a habitat for the endangered river dolphin. The first national river-dolphin survey report, unveiled by PM Narendra Modi, highlighted Kulsi's significance. The survey, conducted in April 2022, covered 61 km from Kukurmara to Nagarbera. The findings revealed an estimated dolphin population of 20(19-21), with a minimum count of 17. On Monday, the All Rabha Students' Union (Arsu) members, who support the BJP-led state govt, organised a protest at Ukiam in the upper Kulsi region. Senior Arsu leaders led the demonstration, with protesters chanting "We want justice" and "our demands are genuine" at the remote wooded location. Arsu vice-president Pradip Rabha warned that dam construction would leave downstream areas parched, affecting agricultural communities who have resided there for generations. Arsu leadership expressed concerns about the proposed the dam's impact on at least 25 villages in the surrounding area. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Recent discussions between Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya CM Conrad Sangma have caused significant concern among riverside residents. CM Sarma announced the 55MW Kulsi project as a friendship initiative between the states, noting that local opinions would be considered as approximately 10 villages face displacement. CM Sarma emphasised the dam's benefits for farmers, citing power generation and irrigation advantages for Kamrup and Goalpara districts. However, Arsu leader Rabha contested the govt's figures, stating that about 25 villages would be submerged. He firmly stated their opposition to the dam project. Arsu's Chaygaon local committee expressed concerns about the dam's impact on the Chandubi freshwater lake, located roughly 3 km from Ukiam. Their statement warned, "It will be like a water bomb near Chandubi."
Time of India
6 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Proposed Barduar satellite township sparks uproar, Rabha groups protest ‘land takeover'
Guwahati: The proposed 1500-acre Barduar satellite township development in Kamrup district's Palasbari revenue circle is facing opposition from Rabha organisations and indigenous community groups. The area, comprising tea gardens, paddy fields, wetlands and forests near the Meghalaya hills, has become a point of contention among its residents. Following the chief minister's office announcement about Himanta Biswa Sarma's review of urban infrastructure projects valued at USD 1 billion with GMDA and DoHUA officials, the All Rabha Students' Union (Arsu) raised objections. Despite heavy rainfall, hundreds of locals, along with Sangrami Krishak Sramik Sangha (SKSS), staged a protest march in Mirza on Wednesday, culminating at the Palasbari revenue circle office. Arsu's Kamrup district committee presented their grievances to the district commissioner through a memorandum, seeking land pattas for indigenous tribal families in Barduar tea estate's revenue villages 1, 2, and 3. Arsu Kamrup district secretary Ashok Nongbag said, "The message of establishing a satellite township in Barduar has sparked panic among the indigenous population in the Barduar area and surrounding villages. This project hampers the movement of the Rabhas for achieving its prime goal of enlisting the Rabha inhabited areas in the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution for greater autonomy, besides posing a negative impact on the socio-economic, daily livelihood, language, culture, and traditions of the indigenous communities in the Barduar area." The memorandum highlighted that approximately 2,100 families could face displacement from the proposed township. SKSS leader Dinesh Das advocated for prioritising land rights for riots and landless peasant families. The groups demanded title certificates under the Forest Rights Act 2006 for indigenous tribal families residing in Barduar's forest areas. Records show that Barduar was a significant kingdom in 16th-century Kamrup district under Rabha rule. Arsu cited Mirza Nathan's Baharistan-I-Ghaibi, documenting Barduar's prominence until Batuwa kings' reign. Tea cultivation began in 1861 under British rule, without proper land settlements for indigenous inhabitants. The memorandum read, "In 1922, the British govt handed over a vast area in Barduar to Tea & Timber Company without giving land rights to the indigenous families living in the same area." The protesters vowed to continue their opposition, reminiscent of their past resistance to NDRF training camps and metropolitan expansion proposals in this tribal-protected region.
