Thousands of activists belonging to Krishak Mukti Sangram Samity (KMSS) on Monday staged a dharna in front of the office of the deputy commissioner here demanding adequate compensation from North Eastern Electric Power Corporation Limited (NEEPCO) for the devastating flood that affects thousands of people in the district and immediate arrest of its guilty officials.
Flood affected people from various villages of the district along with members of Asom Jatiyatabadi Yuba Chatra Parishad (AJYCP), All Tai Ahom Students Union (ATASU), All Assam Minorities Students Union (AAMSU) and Ahom Sena also joined the protest led by KMSS adviser Akhil Gogoi.
In the two-hour long protest that started from 11 am, Gogoi said that the havoc has been caused due to the utter negligence of the district administration in handling the situation.
The deputy commissioner Gaurav Bothra has been informed by the NEEPCO in advance about the release of water from the Doyang Hydro Electric Project (DHEP) situated in Wokha district of Nagaland but he has failed to take timely steps either to inform the people before hand or take any preventive measure to protect the people from the flash flood, Gogoi alleged.
If the NEEPCO doesn’t provide compensation to the flood victims then we won’t allow any NEEPCO office to function in the state, Gogoi said.
The KMSS later submitted a memorandum to chief minister Sarbananda Sonowal through the deputy commissioner stating a list of demands which include providing interim relief of ten thousand rupees to every flood affected family when leaving from relief camps to their homes, free ration for six months, to claim compensation from NEEPCO authorities and shut down DHEP among others.
The police had made elaborate security arrangements to prevent any untoward incident during the protest. There was heavy deployment of police forces at the protest site.
On the other hand, Raju Phukan, the chief organising secretary of All Assam Students Union (AASU) said that they are imposing a total restriction on the movement of any vehicle belonging to NEEPCO and until they admit their fault and pay the compensation protest will continue.
Meanwhile, the district administration on Monday released an advisory to the people leaving in the adjoining areas of Dhansiri and Doyang river to remain alert following the communication received from Neepco where it was informed that there is heavy rainfall in the upstream and downstream catchment area of Doyang dam and if the water level rises above 324 meter at Doyang dam then they will be compelled to open all the four radial gates to a height of .25 meter at 4 pm.