Arunachal MP accuses China of funding KMSS to stall North East development

New Delhi, Dec 30 (ANI): The row over the construction of 2000 MW Subansiri lower hydroelectric project along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border intensified further, with Member of Parliament Takam Sanjoy on Friday accused the anti-dam agitators of getting funds from China to stop the infrastructure development in the North East region.

Arunachal, which shares borders with China and Myanmar, has the potential to generate an estimated 50,000 MW of hydropower.

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) led by Akhil Gogoi and the All Assam Students' Union (AASU) are opposing the NHPC project and had announced on Thursday to block movement of men and materials related to the Lower Subansiri project at Gogamukh where the NHPC project site is located.

The KMSS and four other anti-dam organizations have been alleged of carrying out the protest under the influence of the Maoists and United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA).

The Maoists, who are mostly active in certain areas of Dhemaji and Tinsukia districts bordering lower Dibang valley and Lohit districts of Arunachal Pradesh, are taking help of ULFA to expand their reach in the North East region.

ULFA chief Paresh Barua, who has found shelter near the China-Myanmar border in the Yunan province of China, is helping the Maoists to get foothold in the region.

Sanjoy, who represents Arunachal (West) in Lok Sabha, today said: " The Government of India should declare this organisation (KMSS) to be an outlaw to ensure that the national security of our country is protected, as they are getting support and funding from our neighbours across the border."

"We used to have underground movements and organizations in North East, but today the situation is different. It is the Maoist infiltration and this ideology infiltrating the region particularly Arunachal Pradesh," he said.

"The Maoists want to have a highly sophisticated design to use jungles in Arunachal to carry on their nefarious designs with the help of external forces. I should very clearly say that all these situations are coming from not other than China.

"With the coming of mega projects, money is coming to the state in a big way, and lot of businessmen are investing in the region. And the Maoists want to go for a huge extortion when business people are coming there. The naxalites want to carry on with this activity to create problems in the North East," Sanjoy added.

To a question on who exactly is opposing the mega-dam projects, he said: "Akhil Gogoi-led KMSS is spearheading the movement for the last one-and-a-half years now. Where were they when we started the project in 2005? When work is on the verge of completion then suddenly they are trying to disrupt it."

Assam's Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi is also of the view that there was no point in simply opposing the project for the sake of opposition, as the project would benefit Assam.

To generate nearly 30,000 MW power in 10 years' time, the Arunachal Pradesh Government has signed MoUs with several private firms for 10 major hydropower projects.

Among the major projects currently being executed in the state are the Ranganadi Project, the Subansari Project and the Taloh Power Project. he construction of Subansiri Lower project was started in 2005 after obtaining all the statutory and regulatory clearances from the concerned agencies of the Government of India as well as state governments of Assam and Arunachal.

The start of project has brought about a major increase in the commercial activities and has given impetus to local market and source of livelihood to local people. (ANI)
Source http://www.newstrackindia.com/newsdetails/257053