What do ASSAMNETTERS SURMISE?
Gangaji is sacred- so no dams -High or Low ASSAMese are not needed. Assam's resources are. So--- High Dam to block Subansiri cannot be stopped!! mm On Sat, Aug 28, 2010 at 11:30 AM, Peoples Science Institute <[email protected]> wrote: > Dear Friends: > I am happy to inform you that Dr G.D. Agrawals tapasya, his third > fast-unto-death, has finally achieved the desired result. Since 2008, Dr > Agrawal has been trying to persuade the Government of Uttarakhand and the > Government of India that R. (Bhagirathi) Ganga must be allowed to flow in > its natural state in the uppermost reach between Gangotri and Uttarkashi. > The two governments had plans to construct three new large hydropower > projects in this stretch. Dr Agrawals fasts have led to the scrapping of all > the three projects. > On August 24, 2010 the 36th day of Dr G.D. Agrawals fast Shri Jairam Ramesh, > Union Minister for Environment & Forests handed him a letter from Shri > Pranab Mukherjee, Union Finance Minister and Head of a Group of Ministers > (GoM) appointed by the Prime Minister to advise the GoI on the issues raised > by Dr Agrawal.Agrawal. > In this letter Shri. Pranab Mukherjee outlined the following decisions of > the GoI: > (i) Scrapping the Loharinag-Pala, Pala-Maneri and Bhaironghati Hydel > projects on the R. Bhagirathi. Earlier the GoU had suspended work on its > Pala-Maneri and Bhaironghati projects. > (ii) Declare approximately 135 km from Gaumukh (upstream of Gangotri) to > Uttarkashi as an eco-sensitive zone under the Environment Protection Act > (1986). > (iii) These decisions have been taken by the government keeping in mind the > faith that millions of Indians have in the sanctity of R. Ganga. > (iv) A consortium of seven IITs has been entrusted with the responsibility > for preparing a comprehensive Ganga River Basin Management Plan. The > consortium will engage in the widest possible public consultations in this > work. > (v) The above decisions of the GoI will be formally ratified at a meeting of > the National Ganga River Basin Authority (NGRBA) to be convened soon. Dr > G.D. Agrawal and his selected supporters will address the Authority. > Dr Agrawal reviewed the letter and announced that he would amend his > fast-unto-death by beginning to consume a diet of fruits everyday. He > pointed out that in May 2009 the Uttarakhand High Court had ordered that a > _______________________________________________ assam mailing list [email protected] http://assamnet.org/mailman/listinfo/assam_assamnet.org
