'Solve border issue before taking up power proj'

Itanagar, Sept 23: Dolok Bango Indigenous People's Forum (DBIPF) in Kangku circle under West Siang district of Arunachal Pradesh has appealed to both state and central governments not to proceed ahead with 2000 mw Lower Subansiri hydro-electric project at Gerukamukh till an amicable solution to the long standing boundary problem is reached between Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.

The Gerukamukh project, being executed by the National Hydro Electric Power Corporation (NHPC), has been the bone of contention between neighbouring Assam and Arunachal as the project falls under a disputed land along the inter-state boundary.

Alleging that the NHPC was meddling in the sensitive boundary problem which was sub-judice in Supreme Court, the Forum said the corporation had made a blunder by using invalid map showing Dolok Bango or left bank of river Subansiri in the territory of Assam in their detail project report (DPR) without taking into confidence the Arunachal government and the affected people.

Describing the 1952 notification popularly known as Bordoloi Commission on boundary as invalid and outdated and historical blunder, the Forum said that many ancestral tribal lands have been included in the territory of Assam.

More than one lakh tribal population would be adversely affected by the dam and out of this about 5000 population would face direct displacement, the Forum pointed out while urging upon the political leaders, civil societies to fight for the right of the indigenous people of the state.

UNI