Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti general secretary and RTI activist Akhil Gogoi has resorted to a fast unto death in Guwahati demanding halt in construction of mega dam projects on various rivers in Arunachal Pradesh and Bhutan, including the mainstream of Brahmaputra river.
The KMSS leader has also demanded immediate halt to transportation of construction materials to the under-construction mega dam projects and resented the police atrocities on the anti-mega dam agitators in Lakhimpur district of Assam.
Meanwhile, the police have arrested four persons who too started a fast unto death in Lakhimpur district to express their solidarity with Akhil Gogoi.
The Assam government is in no mood to talk to Akhil Gogoi to persuade him to call off his fast even as Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi has described Akhil Gogoi as 'a man of contradictions.'
Akhil
Gogoi on Sunday stated that construction of dams on the Brahmaputra river and its tributaries in the upper reaches would spell doom for the people and environment of Assam valley. He said, "The river Brahmaputra determines the livelihood and ecology of Assam valley. Construction of mega dams on it will lead to a catastrophe." He criticized the Central government for ruling out review of proposals for construction of big dams in ecologically and seismically sensitive north east Region. Many people from various organisations and students have come forward in support of Akhil Gogoi.
It is because of the anti-dam agitation by the KMSS and allies, construction of the 2000 MW hydro-electric power project of the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) at Gerukamukh along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh boundary has remained stalled since December last year.