Protests intensify in Assam's Chhaygaon over proposed Rs 1,455-crore Kulsi hydropower project

Fresh protests have erupted in Assam’s Chhaygaon over the proposed 55 MW Kulsi Hydropower Project, with several civil society organisations warning of a large-scale agitation if the government does not withdraw the project.

At a press conference on August 1, the Kulsi Nadibandh Birodhi Sangrami Mancha (Anti-Kulsi Dam Struggle Forum), along with several civic bodies, strongly opposed the proposed hydropower project, citing concerns over displacement, loss of land and potential ecological damage.

The project is proposed to be constructed at Ukiam along the Assam-Meghalaya border. Residents of areas along the Kulsi River have expressed concern that the project could adversely affect local communities and the river’s ecosystem.

The protests intensified after the Brahmaputra Board last week formally handed over the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and other related documents to the Assam Power Generation Corporation Limited (APGCL), marking a key step towards the implementation of the project.

The agreement was signed by Brahmaputra Board General Manager Abhay Kumar and APGCL Chief General Manager Saurav Saikia.

The project, estimated to cost Rs 1,454.95 crore, involves the construction of a dam approximately 60 feet high. According to the protesting organisations, the project could affect nearly 26,000 hectares of land, impacting communities from Ukiam through Chhaygaon and extending up to Chamaria.

The Brahmaputra Board, which functions under the Union Ministry of Jal Shakti, has reportedly urged authorities to begin preliminary groundwork for the project at the earliest.

The protesters also questioned the silence of the Rabha Hasong Autonomous Council and local MLAs, alleging that they had not clearly stated their position despite growing public opposition.

The organisations claimed that the government’s continued push for the project, despite objections from groups in both Assam and Meghalaya, had intensified public resentment.

Warning of an expanded agitation, the anti-dam forum said it would mobilise local residents and civil society groups if the government failed to reconsider the project.

With several organisations preparing to renew their protests, attention is now focused on the government’s response to the growing opposition over the proposed Kulsi hydropower project.