Assam's anti-dam activist starts protest fast

Guwahati, May 19 (IANS) Assam's farmer leader and anti-dam activist Akhil Gogoi Saturday started an indefinite hunger-strike near Dighalipukhuri in Guwahati.

Hundreds of people from various walks of life joined the activist and raised slogans demanding that the government stop construction of all mega dams in the northeast.

"We are demanding a stop to construction of all mega dams in the northeast, a stop to atrocities on anti-dam activists by the security forces, and unconditional release of about 27 colleagues of ours detained May 11," said Gogoi, who is also the general secretary of the Krishak Mukti Sangram Samiti.

"We are not going to allow construction of mega dams in the region until the government takes a decision after talks with people of the region," he said.

The activist said that the northeast was a high risk seismic zone and the mega dams would unleash massive destruction if a major quake rocked the region.