Guwahati: With the construction of the 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydro Electric Project (SLHEP) nearing completion, the Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Parishad (AJYP) has sought the intervention of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to stop the construction of the dam, citing concerns about its impact on the people living in the downstream areas.
The AJYP, a youth organization, staged a two-hour sit-in-demonstration in Dhemaji district on Saturday, demanding that the PM intervene and stop the construction of the dam immediately.
The SLHEP is a gravity dam being built on the Subansiri River at Gerukamukh along Assam- Arunachal Pradesh border. The mega dam constructed by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) is expected to be commissioned this year.
The AJYP has raised concerns about the safety of the dam, saying that it is being built in a high seismic zone and that there is a risk of it collapsing in the event of a major earthquake.
The organization has also said that the dam will have a negative impact on the downstream areas, causing flooding and other problems.
In a memorandum submitted to the PM, the AJYP said, “We are not against the construction of dams, but we have reservations about the construction of the Subansiri mega-dam. We believe that it is not safe to build a dam in a high seismic zone. Even independent experts have expressed concern over the safety aspect of the dam.”
The memorandum also said that the dam will have a negative impact on the downstream areas. “The dam will cause flooding and other problems in the downstream areas of Lakhimpur, Dhemaji and Majuli districts,” the memorandum said.
The AJYP has urged the PM to intervene and stop the construction of the dam. “We appeal to you to intervene and stop the construction of the Subansiri mega-dam,” the memorandum said.
The construction of the SLHEP has been controversial since it was first proposed. In 2011, the project was put on hold after an expert committee raised concerns about its safety. However, the work on the dam resumed in 2019.