Story Behind Every Picture

     

Gerukamukh, Assam

                                                                                                                                                        Date: 14 January 2016

This beautiful place is located at boundaries of Arunachal Pradesh and Assam, the river Subansiri divides the two states in this region. It is a great place for people who love to go hiking, picnic and as well a boating and rafting. One of the greatest attractions among this place is that the largest hydroelectric project of India is under construction here at Gerukamukh. Though there was lots of controversy among the people of Assam regarding the construction of the hydro electric project, but the project is expected to finish within the span of 3-4 years, says the project engineer (Can't recall their names,  :( .. I should have wrote it down).

Got to meet the project engineers of Subansiri Hydroelectric project- NHPC while going around for taking photos and had some conversations with them.

The Conversation with the Project Engineers:

(As we were going around the bank of the river two men came towards us.)

Project Engg:     Hello! Where are you guys from?

Me:    Hello! Good to meet you Sir, we are from New Galaxy Academy Nirjuli, Arunachal Pradesh.

(Shaking our hands)

Project Engg:   We are the Project Engineers here at NHPC.  Anyone of you from engineering background?

Me:   No, Sir we are students from high school. So, how is the work going on in here?

Project Engg:     The works have been put to hold for now due to the controversy of the Assam government.  Though there has been immense support from the government of Arunachal Pradesh, but due to the controversy of the people and the politics of Assam, the work has been put to hold. Currently the project is under construction inside the Arunachal boundary.

Me:   Yeah, I have read of the controversy of the ongoing hydro- Electric project at Subansiri River. I read that the people of the Assam are against the construction of the project.  Anyway, can you tell me how much power this project will be able to generate?

Project engg:     Well, there are 8 units of 250MW each which means the project will be delivering 2000 mega Watt of electricity, which will be the largest production of hydroelectricity in India. 

Me:    So, then why is the government of Assam opposing the project? Would not it be of great benefits to the people of Assam in terms of jobs and employment and as well as benefits of getting electricity?

                Project Engg:     Yes, it will be of great benefit not just for the Assam but for the whole country.  As for the opposition that the people of the Assam are giving they are concern of the how will they cultivate the crops with the water that generates electricity, and they think that water that passes through the plants are some kind of poisonous or something similar to that and is not fit for the irrigation works. Also they fear that the dam might break and destroy the people living in the downstream. They should know that we are of more concern about the damage and the side effect that the dam might cause. But regarding the believes that water can’t be used for the irrigation purpose is a lame excuse of the Assam people.  It’s all the work of politics that the work is put to hold, the common people trust the words of the politician more than the Engineers, they don’t know the fact that we are working here putting our years of studies. The best of the engineers from across the nation and engineers from different IITs are working together, making out the best designs and putting together every idea on this project and if the people don’t trust the engineers and instead trust the politician, we can’t do anything about that.

Me:     That’s true that people usually trust the words of the politician more than the engineers. People really need to change their thoughts, and on other way it’s not the fault of the people. You see, the people of the older generation don’t have the awareness that hydroelectricity is just harnessing the potential energy of the river to generate electricity.  But the people from younger generation should put a thought on that. They should at least know that this hydroelectricity project is for the development of the nation.

Project Engg:     So, you guys are from Arunachal. I have been to Arunachal a couple of times for works on different sites and it is really a great place. So where are you guys exactly partying?

Me:    Yes Sir, we are from Arunachal and thank you. Our picnic spot is just some distance down the river across that bridge.

Project Engg:     Okay then, you guys enjoy and don’t get inside the river its really deep and dangerous.

Me:    Okay Sir we won’t. And Pleasure to meet you Sir, have a good day.