The Assam Government today said a big “no” to the proposed construction of mega dams on the Siang and several other rivers in Arunachal Pradesh, and Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi said he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister.

“The Prime Minister, too, is not in favour of big dams. I am trying to convince my Arunachal Pradesh counterpart of the hazards caused by big dams,” Gogoi said here on Thursday.

Gogoi’s statement comes in the wake of an allegation made by leaders in Arunachal Pradesh that the Assam government did not properly brief new Assam Governor Shiv Charan Mathur about the need for having big dams in the region. Within hours of taking charge earlier this month, Mathur voiced his vehement opposition to the construction of mega dams in the Northeast.

“I am totally with the Governor on this issue. The Governor is absolutely right in opposing big dams. Big dams in Arunachal Pradesh will not solve our flood problems. In fact, they will do more harm than good. We will have to convince Arunachal Pradesh of this,” Gogoi said.

The Assam Chief Minister said Arunachal Pradesh must understand that the hill state would not only see the displacement of communities but also the destruction of forests and the environment due to the construction of big dams. “I have already set up a high-powered expert committee to look into what damage the dams already constructed in Arunachal Pradesh have caused to Assam,” Gogoi said.

“I am for small dams that do not have any risk given the high seismicity of the Northeastern region,” Chief Minister Gogoi said. NGOs and environmental groups in Assam and other Northeastern states have been campaigning against big dams pointing to their adverse impact on the region’s biodiversity.

... contd.