Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 02 2010:
The Citizens Concern for Dam and Development (CCDD) has expressed concern that the Expert Review Committee on Rehabilitation and Resettlement of the affected people, upstream and downstream, of the Mapithel Dam (Thoubal Multipurpose Project) is not showing any signs of progress despite that fact that the new date set for completion of the dam is not even one year away.
In a statement, joint secretary of CCDD Jiten Yumnam pointed out that on March 28, 2010, Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh had announced that the dam will be completed by March 2011.So, the Chief Minister must be aware that the Expert Review and the implementation of Rehabilitation and Resettlement must be completed one year prior to the completion of the dam.
He pointed out that according to the Rehabilitation Plan for the Oustees, 1998, prepared by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), Government of Manipur for Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Mapithel Dam) page no.52 para 8, it is stated clearly stated that ''The rehabilitation plan will be completed before one year of the completion of the project''.
In addition, the Government has accepted the Terms and Reference (of the Expert Review Committee constituted by the Government of Manipur order no.20/1/2005-IFC (Pt) dated 18 January, 2008) no.12 which requires that the ''Rehabilitation and resettlement should be completed at least one year before any submergence takes place''.