ANTA rally against Chakpi project
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 24 2012:
Anal Naga Taangpi (ANTA) organized a protest rally against the proposed construction of Chakpi Multipurpose Project at Chakpikarong sub-divisional headquarters, Chandel district yesterday.
The project has been proposed over Chakpi river near Chakpikarong sub-divisional headquarters.
The rallyists called for stopping immediate investigation for construction of the proposed Chakpi Multipurpose Project before the Anal people take up various form of intense agitation.
After the protest rally, a memorandum was also reportedly submitted to the Chief Minister of the State through Sub-Divisional Officer (SDO), Chakpikarong.
According to a statement issued by ANTA President Wng Kohring Victor, the dimension of the proposed dam is 78 m high and 510 m long with an estimated submergence area of over 3568.78 hectares.
This would uproot several villages from Chakpikarong and Chandel apart from affect vast tract agricultural land, thus giving a serious impact on the socio-economy of the people and existing natural resources including rich biodiversity.
Moreover, the proposed dam site is also a seismic prone-zone and does not conform to the recommendation of World Commission on Dams (WCB), Victor noted and added that non-compliance of WCD recommendation amounts to violating the Environmental Protection Acts and this would invite world equilibrium disturbances.
ANTA has also conveyed grievances over the deplorable condition of the roads from Pallel to Chandel and from Sugnu to Chakpikarong and rued that even BRTF authority (s) are in no position to repair and improve the said road stretches before the onset of rainy season.
If the BRTF authority(s) are not in a position to repair and improve the roads before rainy season, then one time relaxation should be given for repairing the roads to state PWD in the larger interest of general public, ANTA demanded.