Assam, Meghalaya villagers oppose hydropower project, Pg9

Key Highlights:

• Villagers from Assam and Meghalaya are opposing a joint 55-megawatt hydropower-cum-irrigation project on the Kulsi river.
• The project, announced in June 2025, is planned for the Kulsi river, a natural habitat of the endangered Gangetic dolphin.
• Over 2,000 people from indigenous Bodo, Garo, Khasi, and Rabha communities protested near Ukiam, a site close to the proposed dam.
• Three traditional chiefs from Meghalaya have refused to grant consent for the project, citing the requirement for No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for land-related developments.
• The opposition is coordinated by the Assam-Meghalaya Joint Protection Committee (AMJPC), formed in 2025.

Hydropower Project.jpg

Detailed Insights:

• The proposed dam is located on the Assam-Meghalaya border, approximately 80 km southwest of Guwahati, at the confluence of the Dron, Shree, and Dilma rivers, which form the Kulsi.
• The project aims to generate 55 MW of power, irrigate about 26,000 hectares, and mitigate floods.
• The Gangetic dolphin is India's National Aquatic Animal, listed as endangered by the IUCN, and protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972.
• Hydropower projects, including dams and barrages, are recognized as significant threats to river dolphin populations due to habitat fragmentation and altered river flows.
• The project site is near disputed border sectors like Borduar and Langpih, which are part of the long-standing Assam-Meghalaya border dispute that originated in 1972.
• In Meghalaya, traditional chiefs hold significant authority over land, and their consent is crucial for projects, especially in areas governed under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.
• The proposed 62-meter-high dam is projected to affect 46 villages across both states, raising concerns about displacement and long-term ecological and social impacts.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Gangetic Dolphin: India's National Aquatic Animal, an endangered freshwater cetacean protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, primarily found in the Ganga-Brahmaputra river systems.
• Traditional Chiefs (Meghalaya): Hereditary or elected leaders in Meghalaya's tribal communities who manage communal land and customary laws, often requiring their No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) for land development.
• Assam-Meghalaya Border Dispute: A territorial conflict between the two states since Meghalaya's formation in 1972, involving 12 disputed sectors along their shared 884-km border.
• Sixth Schedule: A constitutional provision under Article 244(2) and Article 275(1) that allows for the administration of certain tribal areas in Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram through Autonomous District Councils (ADCs).