AASU activists protest move to carry turbines for power project

The All Assam Students' Union (AASU) and 26 other organisations on Wednesday launched protest in four districts against NHPC's reported move to carry turbines for construction of the Lower Subansiri Hydro-electric Power Project.

The protests were organised at Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dhubri and Bongaigaon opposing construction of the 2000 mw project at Gerukamukh, AASU President Sankar Prasad Roy said. "At no cost, will AASU allow the movement of turbine carrying vessels to the project site and this move will be resisted thoroughly," he said.

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti, who was also against the construction of the power project, has rushed a team of its members to Dhubri and asserted that they would not allow transportation of the turbines to the project site.

"This is the last warning to the NHPC. We'll stop transportation of the turbines to the project site at any cost," said KMSS general secretary Akhil Gogoi, while alleging that the NHPC authorities had gone back on the decision taken at a meeting held between the two sides in February last that no work would be undertaken at the project site till all the contentious issues involving construction of the project were resolved, Gogoi said.

Two cargo shops 'MV Jal Taranga' and 'MV Tidal Wave', carrying equipment worth Rs25 crore have been stationed at Hatichar village in Dhubri near the Indo-Bangladesh border since Tuesday.