MDACTO alleges discrimination
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 05 2011:
Mapithel Dam Affected Ching-Tam Organisation (MDACTO) has alleged discrimination in providing compensation among the villagers who have been affected by construction of Thoubal Multi-purpose Project.
Talking to mediapersons in this connection in the presence of a large number of affected villagers and leaders in the downstream areas of the project at Nongdam Tangkhul village today, chairman of MDACTO Ramthar Shaiza asserted that even though the Government has sanctioned huge amount of fund for rehabilitation and resettlement of the affected villagers on the upstream side like Chadong and Lamlai Khunou, less amount of fund has been sanctioned for the affected villagers on the downstream side.
Such discriminatory attitude is condemnable.
He also lamented that the State Government has not given any information to the Organisation even though an expert review committee which included five members of the Organisation and Government officials have conducted a survey of the affected area in 2009 and 2010 .
The Government ought to make public the report of the said expert review committee at the earliest possible, he demanded, while appealing to the Government for setting up a grievances redressal cell of the affected villagers.
Other village leaders who also spoke at the occasion made it clear that they would not accept inauguration of the dam without proper completion and finalisation of the rehabilitation and resettlement process.