Fresh protests have broken out in Assam’s Chhaygaon over the proposed 55 MW Kulsi Hydropower Project, with several civil society organisations warning of a large-scale agitation unless the government withdraws the plan.
Addressing a press conference on August 1, the Kulsi Nadibandh Birodhi Sangrami Mancha (Anti-Kulsi Dam Struggle Forum), along with several other organisations, opposed the proposed project, citing concerns over possible displacement, loss of land and environmental impact.
The hydropower project has been proposed at Ukiam along the Assam-Meghalaya border. Residents living along the Kulsi River expressed apprehension that the dam could adversely affect local communities and the river’s ecosystem.
Opposition to the project intensified after the Brahmaputra Board recently handed over the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and related documents to the Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL), marking a significant step towards implementation. The documents were formally exchanged by Brahmaputra Board General Manager Abhay Kumar and APGCL Chief General Manager Saurav Saikia.
Estimated to cost Rs 1,454.95 crore, the project includes the construction of a dam about 60 feet high. According to the protesting organisations, nearly 26,000 hectares of land could be affected, impacting areas from Ukiam through Chhaygaon to Chamaria.
The protesters also alleged that the Brahmaputra Board, under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, has urged authorities to begin preliminary work on the project at the earliest.
The organisations criticised the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and local MLAs for not taking a clear public stand despite increasing opposition to the project. They further claimed that the government’s continued efforts to move forward with the project, despite objections from groups in both Assam and Meghalaya, had fuelled public resentment.
Warning of intensified protests, the anti-dam forum said it would mobilise local residents and civil society organisations if the government did not reconsider the project. The growing opposition has placed the proposed Kulsi Hydropower Project under increased public scrutiny as protesters await the government’s response.
