Anti-Tipaimukh Dam protest continues unabated
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 22 2012:
Anti-dam campaigners continue to voice against the construction of Tipaimukh Dam in the State.
United Community Development Platform, Moirang, People's Action for Development-Tiddim, Social Action Committee, Moirang-B Gram Panchayat and Bishnupur District Youth Council joined organised a cycle rally at Moirang today.
The rally taken part by social activists and school children commenced from Moirang Multipurpose Higher Secondary School and culminated at Moirang Polo Ground, Chingei Lampak after passing through Moirang market, Moirang Thangjing, Moirang College gate, Moirang Saribon Leikai and Kiyam.
Later, the rallyists faxed a memorandum to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh demanding the revocation of memorandumsof understanding (MoUs) signed among Manipur Government, National Hydro Electric Power Corporation and Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL) on April 28, 2010 and October 22, 2011 for the construction of Tipaimukh Dam at the confluence of Tuivai and Barak rivers.
Demanding protection of environment, nature, indigenous life and tradition, the memorandum also stressed on upholding indigenous people's rights and spelling out clearly the purpose of construction of the dam.
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The memorandum also demanded for immediate halt of all the processes of Tipaimukh Dam construction, taking consent from people in this regard and construction of small dams instead of big dams.
The representation also reminded the Prime Minister that 7.8 million trees and 24, 822, 22 hectares of forest will be submerged if Tipaimukh Dam is commissioned.
The memorandum also mentioned that 171, 000 people died and 11 million people were rendered homeless after Banqiao Reservoir Dam collapsed at Henam province of China.
It also said that many people were killed and around 13, 000 people were displaced due to break down of different dams in Brazil between 2009 and beginning of this year.
In Manipur as well, the memorandum pointed out, around 30,000 paris of fertile agricultural land in Thoubal, Bishnupur and Imphal West districts were consumed by water with the commissioning of Loktak Hydro Electric Power Project.
However, neither the State gets the required amount of power from the project nor the affected people have been rehabilitated and resettled, the memorandum contended.
UCDP Moirang Secretary P Inao Singh said that Loktak Hydro Electric Power Project was set up with a promise to produce 105 MW of power.
However, the State is reeling under darkness as Manipur does not get sufficient power supply as the project currently produces only 60-70 MW of power.
Hundreds of poor people are facing hardships as a huge area of agricultural land was consumed by water, he added.
Maintaining that natural condition of Loktak Lake is getting worse day by day because of the project, Inao pointed out that Tipaimukh Dam would also give the same hardships to poor villagers.