Separate forest clearance for Tipaimukh Project objected
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, August 13 2013: Citizens' Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) and Committee on Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur (CPNRM) have registered strong objection to the idea of having a separate forest clearance for the forest impacts in Mizoram side only due to the proposed construction of 1500 MW Tipaimukh Hydroelectric Multipurpose Project (THEP).

In a memorandum jointly submitted to Jude Sekhar, Chairperson of Forest Advisory Committee (FAC), Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India, the two organisations pointed out that the forest clearance for the impacts in Manipur side has been rejected by the FAC of the MoEF in its hearing on 11-12 July 2013 due to the disproportionate and irreparable impacts of the proposed 1500 MW THEP in Manipur and also due to widespread objections of affected peoples and community organizations to Forest Clearance due to lack of adequate and detailed impact assessments.

Both Manipur and Mizoram fall in the Indo-Burma Biodiversity Hotspot, a globally recognized area with rich and diverse flora and fauna species and any irresponsible statement of the absence of any endemic species in the area does not have any premise and is a clear disrespect of the large number of scientific studies, findings and also applications as well on the unique floral and faunal diversity in the region.

The joint memorandum said that the contradictory statement of the Forest Department of Mizoram that the proposed area of submergence falls under the Tuivai Riverine Reserve Forest (RRF), the Tuiruang RRF and Inner Line Reserve Forest (ILRF) and still classifying it as an open and degraded forest land is simply an effort to manipulate information and falsify facts and trying to get forest clearance at any cost.

This is an unfair process.

The reasons furnished in the recommendation for forest clearance provided by the Additional Chief Conservator of Forest (C), Government of Mizoram to Mr.Anil Kumar to the Additional Director General of Forest, FC division, MoEF on 16 January 2013 is highly misleading and undermined the impacts on the forest, wildlife and communities, the memorandum asserted.

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