The Tipaimukh
High Dam past & present:
With the increasing population and
accelerating economic development activities in the Lower Barak Valley, a sustainable
water management in the Upper Barak catchment has been more critical then it was in the
past few decades. Historically, Barak has always been considered as a very important river
from the point of indigenous people and their sustaining socioeconomic resources. In
addition, it is genetically considered the vital river system for all sources of natural
heritage of the region. Hence, experts in different fields could quietly and objectively
explore the genuine potentials for cooperation for the sustainable development of the
Barak region, keeping in mind the water and land potentialities of the whole Barak
watershed area along with the biotic resources. Only then draw up a plan for the
infrastructure requirements. Considering all these potential elements, developmental
decision should be taken with the principle of ECO-FRIENDLY and EQUAL-AREA DEVELOPMENT
PLANING. However, decisions without these potentials may lead to suicidal policies for all
generations of the region Neither the present generation of the region nor the concerned
developmental agencies are the owner of this region and its resources.
The present generation of this region is
only the custodian of the future generation of this region, entrusted to maintain the
region and its natural heritage in a sustainable manner.
Further any action on harnessing the
Barak water will certainly be treating as sharing of water between the two nations i.e.
India and Bangladesh and in between Manipur and Assam.
Questions raised:
Neglecting the resources potentialities
and the people of the region, a tortuous hydropolitical gambling on Barak River has been
initiated since 1926 under different names and different location points along the river.
Very recently, the Tipaimukh High Dam Projects entrusted earlier to the Brahmaputra Flood
Control Board has been handed over to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation
(NEEPCO). Frequent change made in the dam site selection has raised the eyebrows of the
concerned ones. Why was the first site of Mainadhar (1955) shifted to the second site of
Naraindhar (1964) and then to the third site of Bhubander and again to the fourth and the
present site of Tipaimukh, which has been the bone of contention between the program
propagandists and their non-buyers? Switching over of the implementing agencies of the
Brahmaputra Flood Control Board to the North Eastern Electric Power Corporation is also
questionable. May be, the BFCB was in troubled water which compelled the change. But, why?
Again, the sudden change was affected in the project title from Tipaimukh High Dam
(Multipurpose Project) to Tipaimukh Power Project. Why again? The people of Manipur have
the right to seek answers to these questions. Further, we may also ask why only a few
people are interested on the implementation of this dam as proposed by the project
authority? Is it for the meager amount of compensation the State is going to get or a few
select who will be benefited with the technical jobs as of project manager or anything
else? On the other hand, is there something behind the screen of the project? Are there
vested interests greasing the palm of some powerful treacherous hands? These are some of
the questions on the hydropolitics of Tipaimukh dam.
About the author:
To answer all these questions, the author
explored the region academically and socially since 1974, through his involvement with
various organizations such as the Himalayan Eco-development Project (Ministry of
Environment and Forest, Government of India), the Manipur Cultural Integration Conference
(MCIC), the Manipur Association of Science and Society (MASS) and the action Committee of
Tipaimukh (ACT). The author traveled the entire river course of the Barak and visited
almost all the villages on both banks of the Barak in the districts of Tamenglong and
Churachandpur and also along the Manbahadur road, the downstream site in connection
with the hunt for environmental, ecological and geomorphologic studies of the Barak
region. Further ,the author was also associated with the Satellite Remote Sensing Survey
of Upper Barak River watershed conducted by Remote Sensing Agencies of Hyderabad in 1976.
Moreover he has carefully studied the Tipaimukh High Dam Project Report of 1984,
Rehabilitation and Environmental Aspect (1989) of Tipaimukh high Dam proposed by the dam
authority. Hence, the author has adequate information, related potentialities of the whole
of the Upper Barak watershed area and serious consequences of the Tipaimukh High Dam/
Tipaimukh HydroElectric Project to the right to environment of the people of
Manipur.
What we have learnt:
The contractor, politics, bureaucrats
nexus siphons off money and natural heritage away sometimes Government undertaking
projects and corporation gain at the cost of indented objectives, as with the Loktak
Multipurpose Project in Manipur. Local interests are not kept in mind there is a
suggestion that the Tipaimukh High Dam/ Tipaimukh HydroElectric Project will benefit the
neighboring North Eastern States at the cost of the land and people of Manipur.
Seismically, the whole of Barak region in
the state makes the wisdom of Tipaimukh Project suspect. What is needed is the
transparency of a development project and the involvement of indigenous peoples in the
process and more rigorous viability studies. People would not belief blindly on the
highlighted prospects of the Tipaimukh High Dam/Power Project like generating 1500 MW of
power and a firm power production of 401.25 MW, opening the possibility of
industrialization of the State of Manipur and overall development of the region. These
were the same promises, if remembered, made at the time of implementation of the Loktak
Multipurpose Project. Now, we all know and understand and have learnt enough lessons from
the Loktak Project. We are neither industrialized nor have a good power supply
(electricity) in the real sense. We neither reclaimed arable land nor protected the only
floating National Park of Keibul Lamjao for the critically endangered Brow-Antlered Deer
(Sangai). We are betrayed to the hilt and exploited by the so-called development project.
We are deprived of our right to environment and natural heritage.
What we stand to lose?
It is crystal clear, now, that the basic
and the primary objective of the Tipaimukh High Dam is only to prevent frequent
occurrences of flood in the Cachar plain of Assam by making a permanent submergence of
275.50 sq. Km. of land surface in the State of Manipur. This primary objective itself is
against the National Policy of Land Used. The project is really a hydropilitical project.
Because, even if the title of the then Tipaimukh High Dam has been changed to Tipaimukh
Power Project, the same dam height is maintained as it was/is. Therefore, the Tipaimukh
Power Project does not aim at the overall growth and development of the whole upper Barak
catchment area.
On the contrary, the proposed Tipaimukh
Project will doom all potentialities located near the Barak catchment area forever.
Therefore, implementation of the project means starting the countdown for the doomsday of
this region. Instead of making good road communication network in the area, the project
will submerge the National highway No.53 (Imphal-Silchar road), the only alternative to
the Imphal-Dimapur lifeline (NH No.39), at three different points with two major bridges
(Map 1). Hence, new alignment of the submergible points on the road will add another 60
Kms. to the existing Imphal-Jiribam-Silchar road. The directly affected people by this
proposed dam will be displaced from their own traditional settlement area to a new
rehabilitation centers and hence, there is no question of as equitable share in the
development to be brought by the project. It is unfortunate that there is no rehabilitation
policy in the country. Provision for "Land for Land" and basic
infrastructure amenities for the displaced population are a serious and extremely
difficult problem. The meager compensation cannot sustain a family for long. Hence, the
settlement and rehabilitation problem is a recurring process. Considering all these
factors, in short, Tipaimukh High Dam does not aim for the development of the effected
land and people but an absolutely one-sided on, i.e. to control frequent flooding of the
Cachar plain area. Hence, the dam has not met with favor in Manipur for these reasons and
its lake of detailed studies on geo-tectonic, bio-diversity and environment, health,
socio-economic and hydrological impacts in the region. These points mentioned above were
not clearly studied by the Dam authorities. Hence, some of the points stated in their
project report may be referred to have to prove that the project proposal is not based on
detailed studies, true facts and analysis of the land to be submerged area.
The project report did not study the area
geo-tectonically, a vital flaw in the planning. Existing records and analysis establish
that the whole of upper Barak watershed area is full of thrust fault lines. Even the point
of the proposed Tipaimukh Dam axis fall on the Taithu thrust fault line
(MAP 2). Therefore, the proposed dam site itself is questionable and must be subject to
detailed analysis.
Secondly, the project area is within the
seismic zone No. V characterized by earthquake of magnitude 7 or more on the Richter
Scale. More then five earthquakes of magnitude greater than 5+ were recorded in the area
within 6-100 Km. radius during the last five years .The epicenter of the maximum magnitude
of earthquake (8+M) recorded in this region lies at 80 Km. towards ENE of the Dam site.
There is no technological knowledge to design the structure that can withstand an
earthquake of 8+. Even the epicenter of the recent earthquake that occurred on April
5,1999 measuring 5M on the Richter scale lies within Surma group of rocks in which the Dan
is supposes to rest. The catastrophic 1984 Silchar Earthquake (5.6M) was well within the
Surma Basin. Moreover, the propose Tipaimukh Dam rest on a fault occupied by the river
itself, which may be reactivated any time causing considerable vertical as well as lateral
displacement. In the recent years, earthquake monitoring conducted in and around Manipur
reveal active phenomena along the pre-existing fault/thrusts in the western half of the
State e.g. Nungba Thrust, Barak-Makru Thrust, etc. Therefore, a potential danger, in the
form of an impending earthquake, causing damages to the proposed Tipaimukh dam cannot be
ruled out in the long run. Even the rock-filled dam up to a dam height of 162.80 meter is
not yet attempted anywhere except on this dam. Normaly, earth dams height is
targeted only up to 25 to 30 meter dam heights. Hence, the dams structure design in
the area, more specifically, a geological unstable area is questionable.
Thirdly, the proposed dam did not assess
the environmental impact of the area to be submerged by the dam water. In a peculiar way,
the project authority referred to an early Botanical survey record of the region (vide
Flora of British India 1872 1897). There is no record of plant gathering and animal
hunting with reference the Tipaimukh project .We know that Manipur along with other
Eastern Himalayan neighboring states fall under one of the genetic Hot Spot zones of the
world where rare bio-diversity resources are existed. Number of flora and fauna of the
region including medicinal plants, mare particularly, are yet to be recorded. It is also a
fact that during the investigation works of the project the environmental impact
assessment was not taken care of .As a person well acquainted with the region, the author
recognizes many rare species of flora and fauna thriving still in the region. Therefor, a
systematic scientific documentation on flora and fauna of the area shell has to be
recorded before the dam construction work proceeds further.
Fourthly, if some one travels along the
bank Barak, he could have seen vast areas of virgin plain that could be used for crop
cultivation. This is also clearly visible in any of the photo imageries of the area. Once
the area is under water, these land potentials will permanently be doomed. Over and above,
there are certain sacred islands own by the indigenous peoples of the
region. Hence, it is alarmingly to note that such kind of land potentials as well as
natural heritage of cultural significance of the region will be lost permanently. After
the construction of the dam, the down stream, particularly Jiribam may be affected by
hydrological imbalances resulting in serious water scarcity.
Fifthly, the nature of listing the number
of being affected villages mention in the project report(s) automatically instills
suspicion to ones mind. The number of being affected villages were listed as 31
(Thirty-one) in the project report submitted during 1984 and the same was also mentioned
in both the two volumes of the Rehabilitation Report submitted by WAPCOS
(April 1998). However, there has been sudden and unwarranted decrease in the number of
villages being affected as shown in the Brief Report of the NEEPCO 1998 (December), in
which the number of being affected is listed as only 15 (Fifteen) without even caring to
identify the villages. Subsequently, some of the blind believer were carried away by these
extremely twisted reports, in an attempt to capture the minds of the people to bank on the
proposed dam ,propagate relentlessly by publishing in local dailies and journals and
regional level papers the honey coated poisoned bee-hive of false promises. Very recently
,it was seen that a single author who published an ill-informed and non-technical
paper/article in favor of the NEEPCO for Tipaimukh Dam in 2-3 local dailies and weeklies
repeatedly the content, in a bid to woo the innocent.
What Mr. Priyobarta
has learnt
In this context, the author,
specifically, would like to mention about the fake report of Tipaimukh Project by a
Silchar-based correspondent in a Calcutta-based daily. In almost all these reports/
articles, the pro dam contributors mentioned, stated and alleged that M.K.P.B.Singh
objected to the Tipaimukh High Dam. This statement is irrelevant, misleading and temper
the facts. I, as an active member of the Action Committee of Tipaimukh (ACT), would like
to clarify that Maharaj Kumar Priyabrata, Convener of ACT only wanted to know the details
about the Tipaimukh High Dam. He wrote to all the concerned authorities regarding the
proposed dam. However, none of them respondent. (Some of the sentences are excluded here)
M.K.P.B.Singh had a bad experience on
Loktak Lake. He does not need to see another replica of the disastrous Loktak Lake Project
during his lifetime. All those people who really care for the state and its natural
heritage have every right to be vigilant on such issues. Therefore, the people who live in
the vicinity and core area of the project in particular should not believe at the sugar
coated glamour of the project ant allow being wooed away by it.
Today, we, in Manipur are experiencing an
unprecedented drought like situation in this little paradise known for abundant water (May
1999). Has one ever pondered upon this phenomenon to be linked with Loktak Lake? Yes, it
is very much related with this natural wet land. Non-draining out of the Loktak water by
this project at this juncture would lead to a disastrous end for the state fi not checked
immediately, as humidity in the atmosphere is reducing daily because of water exhaustion.
Conclusion
The unanimous resolution adopted by the
Manipur Legislative Assembly some years back against the construction of Tipaimukh Dam
was/is considered as a positive step forward projecting the interest of the people of
Manipur by the State Government and we as its citizens have every right to know and
understand the true facts about this Project.
Considering all these critical points, it
is also presumed that the proposed Tipaimukh High Dam/Tipaimukh Project is not initiated
as per the requirement of the state of Manipur. It is politically super-imposed project
with the idea of grooming a center for the Surma region in the Cachar
plain. The current trend also targets to this area in terms of Super Highway upto Silchar
and second trade route initiated from Dhaka to Bangkok via Silchar are the focal points.
With all these backdrops, the hydropolitic of the base headquarter of the Tipaimukh high
dam has been incessantly trying to influence the resources of Manipur for their own growth
and benefit only. However, we, particularly the local people, should necessarily try our
level best to bring to light all these hidden circumstances and tricky politics. We may
think for approaches like that of the Tennassi Valley Authority (TVA) of America and
establish a Development Authority for the region to as per time and space of the current
scenario. We may plan for more than 39 microhydal projects all over the Upper Barak region
and commercialized the power resources of the State by the State. Barak is a golden egg
laying goose of Manipur. Do not try to kill for the sake a single larger egg. The
Tipaimukh High Dam/Tipaimukh Project alone. Let it continue to lay more and more Golden
eggs for the benefit of the State and the people of Manipur and for the generation to come
to whom the reason we are guarding belongs. So to avoid this unwanted slaughter of the
golden goose, the State authority must first come out with a White Paper on the Tipaimukh
High Dam /Tipaimukh Project. Mere mud slinging will not do any justice. A mass
consensus on the dam needs to be taken, after due deliberation on the White paper, in the
interest of the people before its too late. Let us remember, now we are in such a
situation of "Heads, you win; tails, we fail to win."
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