Mapithel Dam Irrigation Canals: Stretch of Accountability Concerns
- Part 1 -

Mamta Lukram *

Bare canal bed along Ngamukhong during February, 2018, no rain, no water, barely 5km away from Keithelmanbi Barrage, this makes irrigation sense

Development discourse in present scenario of the state dwelt around the mobilisation of untapped natural resources. The development connotation in economics focuses on capital generation, acceleration, and accumulation. Emphasising numerical growth; socio-cultural values are often being overlooked. Forbidden is the obliteration account in calculating the achievement parameters. Hydro-potential of rivers and other wetland bodies underscored main development policies.

Subsequently, multipurpose projects initiated with multiple objectives of dams for irrigation, dams for hydroelectricity, dams for water supply and dam for tourism promotion gratify in post-independent paradigm. Efficiency concerns remained the unfold riddle and people hardly experienced positive outcomes. Fallacious implementation and prolong experiences of 'policy friendly, implementation floppy' development model have numbed positivistic attitudes of the people.

In a tiny state like Manipur with 9:1 hill-valley physiographic division where the 10% valley support more than 60% population and 90% hill support less than 40% population, development models need be sensitive and responsible. Unaccountable models jeopardise the fragile social structure.

The second 'Nupi Lan' (women's war) 1939 in the social movement's history of Manipur was against the export of rice from the state, an indication of self-sufficiency. The drastic categorical drifting into dependency in the post-implementation of multipurpose projects in the state; this grounded development theory deserves revisit and empirical justification. Commissioning Loktak Hydro Electric Project of the 1980s submerges more than 80,000 hectare prime agricultural land.

The flip off reality appraised from the project is the Loktak Lift Irrigation component which targeted to irrigate 40000 ha, however irrigating 1800 ha only. The subsequent submergence plundered food sovereignty of the state. Apart from this, performance review of the many underperforming multipurpose projects in the state will portray a logical picture justifying people's resistance.

The Khuga Dam that targets to irrigate 15000 ha land is notoriously known for its frequent left and right canal breaches frequently inundating crops and property generating hardships. Khoupum Dam constructed mainly for irrigation objective, no longer initiate irrigation activities. The cost-benefit analysis of the major & minor irrigation projects through canal components need be ponder upon.

The state did not have any major and medium irrigation project upto 1972-73 and agriculture was solely dependent on rain. The impasse of self-sufficiency; shifting to dependency theorem in the state's development discourse need be elucidated.

Maipthel Dam Irrigation Canal Component

Nature's catastrophes spell disasters. Previous year, 2017 Manipur faced the worst flood in last 20 years, damaging properties and threatening lives. This year, 2018, in the middle of the agricultural season experienced scanty rainfall where the government have to take up adhoc mechanism of using generators and pumps for drawing and supplying water to the dying fields. The purpose of the irrigation canals is the supply irrigation water during lean season when volume is scanty.

The lengthy stretch of canal cover running across the canvas of prime agricultural fields are accommodated with aspirations of optimising agricultural yields. Their performance is vital for maximising yields or else it is undeniable in pointing these canals as degrading factors of the state's food sovereignty.

The CAG Report, Government of Manipur, Report No. 2 of 2017, stated that the Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), against the targeted irrigation potential of 43.78 thousand hectares, only 25.70 thousand hectares (59%) was created as on March 2016, of which 42% was utilised. The Thoubal Multipurpose Project or the Mapithel Dam is known to have revised its estimated cost several times, shooting up 36 times from its original estimated cost i.e from estimated 47 crore to 1,694.27 crore, stamped with the tag of 29 years time overrun.

The irrigation potential of 33,449 ha, was one of the primary objectives of the project. However, with the fifth revised in 2014, 1,161 ha of irrigation potential area was added, with a total irrigation potential of 34, 610. The Barrage component at Keithelmanbi and the part of the left canal of the Thoubal Multipurpose project is described completed in 1991.

According to the report, under the Thoubal Multipurpose Project, land has to be acquired from land owners of five villages for construction of Heirok Branch Canal (21.28 km in length) which is one of the two branch canals of the Left Main Canal of the Project. Government of Manipur sanctioned (February 2013) an amount of 2.81 crore to the Deputy Commissioner, Thoubal for compensation to the affected pattadars, which the later deposited to the District Session Judge, Thoubal.

The Divisional Officer Thoubal Project Division- IV accepted the fact stating the amount has been lying unutilised for over three years as the land owners refused to accept the compensation offered was too low, and another section of the farmers did not want to spare their land for canal construction doubting the success of the project.

Canal stretch along Leirongthel Mamang, with creaky walls, weedy shrunken bed by February, 2018

Close watch over the parts of the canal running across villages during different seasons is the answer. Canals meant to supply irrigation water during lean seasons to support agriculture, not likely during rainy seasons where uneven monsoon causes frequent flash flood. Canal remained invariably dry except during rainy seasons. Canal bed similar to dried pond could be found along different parts of the canal.

Ngamukhong, barely 5km from the Keithelmanbi barrage maintained a barren dried bed. Little farther away, Leirongthel Mamang in Imphal East District portion wear creaky canal wall, weedy covered and locals flock for fodder collection. Moving a little further, at Yairipok Khoirom, simultaneous canal construction work was ongoing.

Maintaining visibility maintenance, adjacent of AH 2, before reaching Wangjing, May 2018

to be continued....