𝗔𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗺: 𝗠𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘁𝗲𝘀𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗼𝗴𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗿𝗮𝗶𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗞𝘂𝗹𝘀𝗶 𝗗𝗮𝗺 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗷𝗲𝗰𝘁 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗨𝗸𝗶𝘂𝗺 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗻𝗶𝗰 𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗮.

The popular Ukium picnic spot in Assam’s Kamrup district transformed into a hub of protest on Monday, June 9 as several civil society groups and tribal organizations from Assam and Meghalaya united against the proposed 55-megawatt hydropower-cum-irrigation project on the Kulsi River.

The protest comes days after a meeting between Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma at the Koinadhora Guest House in Guwahati, where both leaders reportedly gave a green signal to advance the controversial Kulsi Multipurpose Project.

Prominent groups such as the All Rabha Students Union (ARSU), All Rabha Women Council (ARWC), Garo National Council (GNC), Garo Youth Council (GYC), Garo Students Union (GSU), Garo Women Council (GWC), and Khasi Students Union (KSU) participated in the protest, expressing collective dissent over the dam’s potential socio-environmental impacts.

Speaking at the protest site, ARSU General Secretary Subhash Rabha stated, “Ukium is a biodiversity-rich area that must be preserved. The construction of a dam will threaten the habitat of Gangetic dolphins and lead to irreversible ecological damage.” He drew parallels to the Ronganodi River Dam in Arunachal Pradesh, which has adversely affected communities downstream in Assam, warning that similar issues may arise with the Kulsi project.

Echoing the sentiment, Enindra Marak of the Garo National Council said, “Today, tribal communities—Garo, Rabha, Boro, and Khasi—from both states have united to oppose this project. We anticipate widespread displacement and environmental degradation. This protest is only the beginning of our resistance.”

Local residents have also voiced deep concerns. “Over 20,000 villagers across 33 villages are at risk of displacement,” said Jawaharlal R. Marak, a resident of Ukium. “We do not want compensation; we want to continue living peacefully on our land.”

Another local, Asosh Marak of Chaygaon constituency, asserted, “This dam will be constructed over our dead bodies. We had rejected it in 2011, and we continue to do so.”

The proposed dam site lies strategically between Rajabala village in Ri-Bhoi district of Meghalaya and Ukium village in Assam’s Kamrup district, extending close to Kyrsai village in Meghalaya’s West Khasi Hills. The Kulsi River, originating from the Khasi Hills, merges with Assam’s Drone River and Meghalaya’s Sree and Dilma rivers before flowing through the disputed site.

According to the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of 2014, the Kulsi Multipurpose Project involves the construction of a 62-meter-high concrete dam. Its purpose is to harness river potential for irrigation and power generation. However, environmentalists and locals argue the ecological and human costs far outweigh the projected benefits.