Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 13:
The ambitious Rs 296 lakhs Khoupum Dam Project taken up by Irrigation and Flood Control Department with the objective of providing irrigation facilities to farm lands in Khoupum Valley has failed, thanks to indifferent attitude of the Government.
The State Government too has allegedly given out the parts of the dam to a private body on lease.
All these matters and more came to light during the recent trip of media person from Imphal who went for an on the spot verification of the works being taken up along Old Cachar Road of Tamenglong district.
Located 85 kms from Imphal, the Khoupum Dam was inaugurated in 1978 by the then Chief Minister Yangmaso Shaija.
For running the project, the water streaming down the hill-slope is collected in an artificial lake.
Around 80 hectares of cultivable land too have been reportedly submerged in the process of constructing the dam.
The main purpose of constructing the dam was to provide irrigation facilities to the farmers and encourage the local people to rear fishes in the lake as additional source of source of sustenance and livelihood.
Former secretary of Gaidinajang Village Authority Kaningchung Golmei said that even after 26 years of its operation, the farmers of the area have not got any benefit from the dam till date.
People of Luwanglong Khunou, Namkaolong and Tousemjang who were earlier earning their livelihood through fishing activities from the lake have been disallowed after the Govt leased it to a society, he informed.
He lamented all the high hopes and expectation of the people from the dam have been belied.