Tribal Groups in Assam-Meghalaya Protest Proposed Kulsi Hydropower Project

Hundreds of villagers rallied at the Ukiam picnic spot on Thursday to protest the proposed 55 MW Ukiam hydropower project on the Kulsi River, a vital habitat for the endangered Gangetic river dolphin.

The dam, planned at the confluence of the Dron, Shree, and Dilma rivers on the Assam-Meghalaya border, approximately 80 km southwest of Guwahati, has sparked widespread opposition from tribal organisations.

The demonstration was led by the Assam-Meghalaya Joint Protection Committee, comprising the Garo National Council (GNC) and the Rabha National Council (RNC). GNC president Enindra Marak vowed to block the project, accusing the Assam and Meghalaya governments of understating its impacts.

“They claim only 15 villages will be affected, but the damage will extend from Meghalaya’s hills to the Brahmaputra,” he said, hinting that the project might be delayed until after the 2026 Assembly elections.

RNC chief convenor Gobinda Rabha cautioned that the dam could submerge nearly 25,418 hectares of land, threatening local livelihoods and ecosystems. He criticised the Assam government for ignoring indigenous communities and pushing the project without proper consent.

“This hydropower project, alongside others like the Dorabeel Logistics Park and the Borduar satellite township, will cause irreversible ecological harm,” he warned.

Committee leaders expressed frustration over the government’s dismissal of multiple memorandums opposing the project. In Meghalaya, the project faces additional challenges due to land tenure laws, which require no-objection certificates from traditional chiefs.

Announced on June 2 after a meeting between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the project aims to generate electricity for both states while providing irrigation benefits to Assam.

Despite assurances from Sarma that community consultations would precede any progress, tribal groups remain sceptical, citing unresolved concerns and the project’s potential to disrupt the region’s ecology and indigenous rights.