NGT panel to visit Subansiri dam site

Guwahati: The Kolkata bench of the National Green Tribunal (NGT) on Monday appointed a court commission to visit the NHPC Lower Subansiri dam site at Gerukamukh and asked it to submit a detailed report before August 4.
“The commission will be headed by its advocate Poshali Banerjee. She is likely to visit the project site within the first week of June. She will be accompanied by the representatives of all parties in the case including government officials and the petitioner members,” Aabhijeet Sarma, petitioner in the case and president of Assam Public Works (APW) said.
Earlier, Sarma had informed the tribunal that the NHPC might have re-started construction at the dam. “We have intimated the tribunal about our apprehensions that construction might re-start at the dam. Moreover, we have submitted an affidavit before it enclosing the advertisements, in print and audio visual (AV) forms, that are being telecasted in local TV channels. We have told the tribunal that NHPC’s actions are violating the tribunal as the matter is still pending,” he added.
The petitioner said the commission would also report on the said activities of NHPC. Advocates Sanjay Upadhaya and Vikram Rajkhowa represented Sarma.
Earlier, the tribunal had accepted an appeal from Sarma, urging a stay on the construction of the lower Subansiri dam till all expert committees sit together and submit a report and the court disposes of the matter.
The APW has asked the NGT to force the dam authorities to release adequate water for maintaining the downstream ecology of the Subansiri River for protection of the riparian people.