Meet demands return of the submerged lands
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, September 28 2013 :
All the agricultural lands which have been submerged due to construction of Ithai Barrage with promise of providing adequate power supply, water for irrigation and controlling flood should be returned to the people as no such benefits have been received by the people so far, a public consultation has resolved.
The decision to this effect was arrived at during a Public Consultation on "Livelihood Impacts of 105 MW Loktak HEP Project & Manipur loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 on Communities" which was organized under the joint aegis of All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen's Union, All Manipur Thanga People's Welfare Association, Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur and Citizens Concern for Dams and Development at Thanga Haoreng Chingyang, today.
The Public Consultation also adopted a number of other resolutions.
The resolutions included to recognize the intrinsic rights of communities to control and manage Loktak wetlands for mutual survival and their self determined development of Loktak wetlands based on their needs and aspirations; to repeal Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act, 2006 for its anti people and anti Loktak provisions; to review Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project for its impacts on Loktak wetlands, including the proliferation of Phumdis in Loktak lake and impact on Keibul Lamjao National Park; decommissioning of Ithai Barrage of Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project; to stop all forms of anti people policy in the guise of development of Loktak wetlands and ensure the Right to Free, Prior and Informed Consent of all the indigenous communities depending on Loktak Lake for introduction of any development process in Loktak wetlands; to formulate a comprehensive Wetlands management Policy in Manipur with community participation as per guidelines of Ramsar Convention for Community participation and as per the provision of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, etc.
Dr RK Ranjan, Chairperson, Citizens Concern for Dams and Development; Jiten Yumnam, Co-convenor, Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur; Yumnamcha Dilipkumar, President, PANDAM; Kheda, President, All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen's Union and its Advisor Hemam Leibakmacha were present and spoke on the occasion as Resource Persons.