Villagers residing along the River Umngot who are opposed to the proposed hydroelectric dam onsite have written to Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma seeking the immediate cancellation of the project.
The residents, under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee against Umngot Hydro Electric Project, said, We the farmers having our farmlands upstream where the dam will be constructed and those downstream directly dependent on tourism under one voice have also decided not to accept any clarification or allow any survey to be conducted on this project.
The JAC also said that the attempt to convene the public hearing by the Meghalaya State Pollution Board and the Meghalaya Energy Corporation Ltd is not only illegal but in violation of the norms of the environmental impact assessment.
Two public hearings were disrupted recently due to the steadfast opposition of local people towards the project as they fear that their pristine river will be ruined by the dam. According to Power Minister James Sangma, however, the project is very important for Meghalaya because it will be able to generate an additional 110 megawatts of additional electricity, thereby addressing the perennial shortage of electricity that the state faces.
We dont want to lose our farmlands that have been here from time immemorial and that will continue for the generations to come or lose our livelihoods generated through tourism. We also dont support any dam construction taking into consideration the fact that our state is under the Seismic Zone 5, which is prone to earthquakes and we dont want to lose our forests, animals, medicinal herbs and plants, the JAC maintained.
