Fresh protests have erupted in Assam’s Chhaygaon against the proposed 55 MW Kulsi Hydropower Project, with several civil society organisations warning of a large-scale agitation if the government does not withdraw the project.
At a press conference on August 1, the Kulsi Nadibandh Birodhi Sangrami Mancha, along with several other civic organisations, strongly opposed the project, citing concerns over displacement, loss of land and potential damage to the local ecosystem.
The proposed project is planned at Ukiam along the Assam-Meghalaya border. Residents living along the Kulsi River have expressed apprehension that the project could adversely affect local communities as well as the river’s ecology.
Opposition intensified after the Brahmaputra Board recently handed over the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and other project-related documents to the Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL), marking a significant step towards taking the project forward.
The agreement was signed by Brahmaputra Board General Manager Abhay Kumar and APGCL Chief General Manager Saurav Saikia.
The project has an estimated cost of Rs 1,454.95 crore and envisages construction of a dam around 60 feet high. According to the protesting organisations, the project could affect nearly 26,000 hectares of land, impacting communities stretching from Ukiam through Chhaygaon to Chamaria.
The Brahmaputra Board, under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, has reportedly urged the authorities to initiate preliminary groundwork for the project at the earliest.
The protesters also questioned the silence of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and local MLAs, alleging that they have not made their positions clear despite growing opposition.
The organisations claimed that the continued push for the project, despite objections from groups in both Assam and Meghalaya, has further intensified public resentment.
The anti-dam forum warned that it would mobilise local residents and civil society organisations for a larger agitation if the government failed to reconsider the project.
With opposition groups preparing to intensify their protests, the government’s response to the growing resistance against the proposed Kulsi hydropower project is now being closely watched.
