Why was Akhil Gogoi angry over the big hydro project of Arunachal? Said- The truth of Assam floods is hidden in BJP’s Hindu-Muslim politics.

Politics has once again intensified regarding the floods that occur every year in Assam. Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi has announced a movement to close several mega dam hydropower projects being built in Arunachal Pradesh, terming them as major causes of floods. Gogoi alleges that the BJP government suppressed the real issue of Assam floods amid Hindu-Muslim politics and the projects whose work was earlier halted due to protests were started again.

However, the government and experts say that heavy rains, silt accumulation, river erosion and other natural causes are also the main reasons behind the floods in Assam.

In fact, amid monsoon rains in many parts of the country, the issue of floods that occur every year in Assam is once again at the center of political debate. Raijor Dal MLA Akhil Gogoi has alleged that the BJP government has pushed back the real causes of Assam floods in the noise of Hindu-Muslim politics. He says that due to the big hydro projects being built in Arunachal Pradesh, the problem of floods and river erosion in lower Assam is becoming serious. He has also announced to start a movement on this issue.

Gogoi claims that after BJP came to power, work on hydro projects in Bhutan and Arunachal, which were earlier stalled due to local opposition and environmental concerns, was expedited again. According to him, if water is suddenly released from these projects, many areas of the Brahmaputra valley may become vulnerable to floods.

However, the Central Government and the concerned agencies have not yet officially confirmed the claim that these projects are the main reason for the floods in Assam.

Which projects are they opposing?

Akhil Gogoi has opposed several big hydro projects proposed and under construction in Siang and Subansiri basins. These include 2,000 MW Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project, 2,880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Project, Atalin Hydro Electric Project and Upper Siang Hydro Project. He says that even though the objective of these projects is to increase power generation and energy security, their operation may increase the risk of floods in the low-lying areas of Assam.

Why is Lower Subansiri project most discussed?

The Lower Subansiri Hydro Electric Project being built on the border of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam is one of the most talked about projects. The construction of this 2,000 MW capacity project developed by NHPC started in the year 2005. In 2011, its work was affected for a long time due to local protests and environmental concerns. Construction was later resumed after technical review and additional safety measures.

According to official information, most of the civil work of the project has been completed and it is likely to be commissioned in a phased manner by 2026-27.

In which areas is there a possibility of flood?

Organizations opposing hydro projects claim that in case of large-scale release of water, many districts of Brahmaputra valley like Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Majuli, Jorhat, Vishwanath, Sonitpur, Darrang, Nagaon, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Goalpara, Kamrup and Dhubri may be affected.

Experts say that blaming hydro projects alone for floods in Assam is not a scientifically established conclusion. According to him, many factors like excessive rainfall, accumulation of silt in the Brahmaputra and its tributaries, landslides, river erosion and climate change also play an important role in increasing the severity of floods. Therefore, long-term scientific data and detailed analysis of water management is needed before blaming any single dam as the cause of floods in entire Lower Assam.