Aasu critisises Jairam Rames's stand on mega dams

GUWAHATI: Students body All Assam Students Union ( Aasu) continues to criticise Union Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh for his stand on mega dams. It has accused Mr Ramesh of double standards pertaining to mega dam projects in Northeast.

According to Aasu, the expert committee constituted to study the downstream impact of the National Hydro electricity Power Corporation s (NHPC) 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric project in its report has recommended not to construct the mega dam at its present site.

An Aasu delegation met Mr Ramesh in Delhi and demanded an explanation about why the project work had been stopped. To which, the Union minister clarified, "I cannot stop projects. If the project is on the implementation stage and 50 per cent of the work has been completed, I cannot stop it."

The Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba-Chatra Parishad (AJYCP) is learnt to have criticised the minister s reported statement. AJYCP added the Centre halted midway construction works on mega dams in Madhya Pradesh and Uttarakhand following protests.