CLIMATE CARE - NORTHEAST INDIA

MONOJ GOGOI   The 2000 MW Subansiri Lower Hydroelectric Project which construction work is undergoing at Gerukamukh ( the project site) in the West Siang of Arunachal Pradesh and Dhemaji districts Assam will be commissioned by December 2024. This was recently revealed to the media by Rajeev Kumar Vishnoi, Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Ltd. All the eight units, comprising 250 MW each will be commissioned by the end of 2024. This one is one of the major projects of NHPC Ltd and after completion it will add 4 percent to the total hydro power generation of India.  A file photo of the project site. Earlier several deadlines were set to complete the project but each time it failed for several reasons. If the project is finished by the end of 2024, it would take more than two decades in developing the project. Due to time overrun cost overrun also took place. The estimated cost of the project Rs 21,274.54 crore

MONOJ GOGOI   Extreme summer heat waves in northern states of India poses a serious question on the human survivability threshold in India. The number of heatwave days, also the intensity, have been increasing over the years in the states such as Bihar, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan,  Punjab etc. The Mercury level soars high and the human plight starts. People from vulnerable groups are dying.   The states of northeast India also suffered from high temperatures combined with high summer humidity in the month of June. Noticing the exposure of children to scorching heat, the Assam government advanced the school starting time from 9:00am to 7:30 am. According to India Meteorological Department (IMD), heatwave occurs when the maximum temperature reaches 40C or above in plains and 30C in hilly terrains. Although Assam did not record 40C in the last month, but the heat compounded with high humidity became unbearable. People from vulnerable groups - elderly persons, children, pregnant wo