Review Mapithel Dam in Manipur
- Citizens Concern for Dams and Development -

Imphal / 16th May 2008

The Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) expresses our strong condemnation with the remarks of Mr. Nongthongbam Biren, Minister, Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), Manipur over the threats and intimidations to civil societies and Mapithel Dam affected villagers campaigning for sustainable and people friendly development in Manipur during his clarification on the massive cracks appearing at Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project.

Mr. Biren`s comments that civil society organization shall be subjected to prosecution for misleading the people is highly unfortunate and an insensitivity to the democratic call of the dam affected villagers to address their long standing unresolved concerns over the submergence of agricultural land, loss of livelihood and the project perusal without any clear development, rehabilitation and resettlement, impact assessment and accountability policies for Manipur. Any development projects introduced by silencing affected villagers and civil societies with brute use of force will undermines its purpose and will further alienate peoples to resist such forms of development.

CCDD considers as unfortunate and an irresponsible move that Mr. Biren, the IFCD minister tries to shield the Engineers, Contractors and construction company officials for the cracks at Mapithel Dam without initiating any investigation as to why the cracks appeared. Any structure created as an essential part of the dam developing cracks untimely is in itself a very clear indication of sub-standard quality of work, naturally a reason rife to assess the quality of work of the main dam as well.

The cracks appeared should be an eye opener for the IFCD to review the quality of all construction components of the dam as the people of Manipur have already lost trust and confidence with IFCD with the quality of the dam because of the massive cracks. The voices of concerns raised by the affected peoples cannot be simply negated as unfounded fears.

The quality of the construction of main dam is seriously questionable as the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Report dated 31 March 2004 of the Government of India clearly mentioned that the Progressive Construction Limited (PCL), constructing the main Mapithel dam is being criticized for failing to install two important quality monitoring apparatus 1) Relative Density Apparatus to determine density of cohesion less soil used as filter media in the dam and ii) Permeability Test Apparatus ever since the Mapithel Dam construction started in 1989.

The CAG report further mentions that the failure to install these two important equipments was detected in 1999 October and was not installed. In addition, media establishments, on 14th May 2008 in Manipur reported the concerns raised by the Progressive Construction Limited Workers Union Thoubal Multipurpose Project as to how they work during night and that tree roots, boulders, rocks and several other materials unintended for the dams are being filled in without any monitoring. People residing in downstream areas of the dam had already expressed their apprehension citing similar reasons.

The IFCD minister as a responsible minister should uphold all democratic processes and practices and take all necessary steps to allay the apprehensions of the people by calling for a thorough review of the Mapithel Dam and investigating causes of the cracks and to prosecute all those responsible for the cracks and other substandard works.

All pending issues concerning rehabilitation and resettlement, environmental impact assessment both upstream and downstream, livelihood issues of all affected peoples, dam safety should be settled first in accordance with the wishes and needs of the affected peoples before commencing Mapithel dam construction.

And to avoid such and other situations like NHPC's Loktak Project, where the affected villagers are condemned without any rehabilitation and resettlement, policies on sustainable development, rehabilitation and resettlement, for peoples participation in Manipur should be prepared with the people.

RK Ranjan
Chairperson

(Aram Pamei)
Co-Chairperson