- Villagers from Assam and Meghalaya have united to oppose a joint hydropower project planned by the two State governments. - The joint venture project raises concerns regarding local ecological degradation, displacement, and livelihood impacts on riparian communities. - The resistance highlights grassroots mobilization cutting across State boundaries on development and environmental issues. - **Kulsi Hydropower Project:** A proposed 55-megawatt joint hydroelectric and irrigation project on the Kulsi River at Ukiam along the Assam-Meghalaya border, facing stiff local resistance due to environmental and displacement concerns. - **Kulsi River:** A major tributary of the Brahmaputra River flowing through Meghalaya and Assam, vital for irrigation, fisheries, and as a critical natural habitat for the endangered Gangetic river dolphin. - **Gangetic River Dolphin:** An endangered freshwater dolphin species found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and threatened by the proposed Kulsi dam. **Introduction** Villagers across the Assam-Meghalaya border have joined hands to oppose a joint hydropower project planned by their respective State governments, citing severe environmental concerns and threats to their local livelihoods. **Core Issue and Detailed Points** - Villagers from Assam and Meghalaya have united to oppose a joint hydropower project planned by the two State governments. - The joint venture project raises concerns regarding local ecological degradation, displacement, and livelihood impacts on riparian communities. - The resistance highlights grassroots mobilization cutting across State boundaries on development and environmental issues. **Key Statutory Bodies, Acts & Concepts** - **Kulsi Hydropower Project:** A proposed 55-megawatt joint hydroelectric and irrigation project on the Kulsi River at Ukiam along the Assam-Meghalaya border, facing stiff local resistance due to environmental and displacement concerns. - **Kulsi River:** A major tributary of the Brahmaputra River flowing through Meghalaya and Assam, vital for irrigation, fisheries, and as a critical natural habitat for the endangered Gangetic river dolphin. - **Gangetic River Dolphin:** An endangered freshwater dolphin species found in the Ganga and Brahmaputra river systems, protected under Schedule I of the Wildlife Protection Act, 1972, and threatened by the proposed Kulsi dam.