Arunachal to go ahead with building dams: CM

Brushing aside concerns raised by the neighbouring Assam, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Saturday said his state would go ahead with construction of dams.

Guwahati: Brushing aside concerns raised by the neighbouring Assam, Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Nabam Tuki on Friday said his state would go ahead with construction of dams. "Dams are being constructed at many places. Arunachal Pradesh is going to construct dams," Tuki told reporters here on the sidelines of a review meeting of road projects in North East with Road, Transport & Highways Minister Oscar Fernandes.

A number of dams had been planned and these were at various stages of completion, he said. Asked about Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi`s concern and protests against the dams for possible impact on people living downstream, Tuki said, "For the interest of the country, especially for the North East, the dams are being constructed. There should not be any opposition." He said all the projects were okayed only after proper scientific studies. To a pointed query if Arunachal would review the dams, Tuki did not give a specific answer, saying "Review means lots of clearances, like environmental clearance and many more". Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) Minister Paban Singh Ghatowar said: "Arunachal has the potential to generate 50,000 MW of hydro power... The government is trying to address the issues." Last month, Gogoi had said in the Assembly that the state was worried about construction of dams by Arunachal Pradesh for hydro electricity and urged the neighbour to proceed only after a proper study. Assam government was concerned about possible floods to be caused by the dams. There has been a series of protests in recent years after the Centre decided to build a number of dams in the North East to generate hydro power. PTI