Term of House panel on mega dams extended

GUWAHATI, Dec 11: The Assam Assembly today extended the term of the House Committee on mega dams by three months, but not before a voice vote.

The House committee had been formed in the last Assembly session following a demand from Jonai MLA Bhuban Pegu, who, however, opposed the extension of the term of the committee for three months today on the ground that during the last five months the Committee did not visit the NHPC project at Gerukamukh. “Extension of the term of the House committee will be of no use at a time when the expert committee formed for the purpose by the State Government has asked the NHPC to stop its work of the Gerukamukh project. When the House committee, if its term is extended, will submit its report, works of the project will be over,” Pegu said. The term of the House committee was supposed to expire on January 20, 2010.

The Speaker then had to conduct a voice vote on the issue paving the way for extension of the term of the House committee for three months. THE SENTINEL