UNM-M, NEDF reiterate stand against Tipaimukh Dam
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, July 07 2013:
In connection with the proposed meeting of the Advisory Committee of the Forest and Environmental of Ministry of Environment for giving environmental clearance in connection with construction of Tipaimuk dam, United NGOs Mission-Manipur (UNM-M) and North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF) called upon the Committee, Central and State governments to respect the voice of the people of Manipur and stop further move for construction of the controversial dam.
In separate statements, UNM-M and NEDF have pointed out that anticipating that this dam is going to permanently destroy dense forest and vast biodiversity of Manipur and other neighbouring states, recently a team from the Unit of Environment station in Shillong visited both Tipaimukh and Kaimai areas and submitted their biased report on environmental impact assessment by glancing the areas from helicopter.
If the mega dam has been constructed as per proposed it would create numerous negative impacts.
So, the Committee should not provide clearance of forest against the will of the people of Manipur and considering the possible aftermath of it.
Our land and natural resources are inherent sources for our life, culture, identity, survival and future of our present and coming generation.
It belongs to the indigenous people of the region; they have the right to self determination over their land, territory and resources possessing undeniably rights over its management and use, the statements asserted.
Urging to stop all false projection of mega dam construction in the entire NE region, the two bodies lamented that the Government of India is still not respecting and responding to the recommendation of UN not to construct dam by respecting the UN Declaration on Rights of the Indigenous people.
We (people of Manipur) experienced enough destruction through Loktak Hydro Power project and AFSPA.
We do not understand why India is so much interested in Tipaimuk dam.
The people of Manipur already have extremely suffered from the impact of Loktak project as more than eighty thousand hectares of paddy fields are still under water and farmers are paying the tax as well for the same, UNM-M) and NEDF added.
Furthermore, they pointed out that the electricity from the dam and water will be very important commodities for the petroleum boring in Tamenglong, Churachanpur and Jiribam.
Manipur University has already recommended that the Government of Manipur can build 30 mini hydel -projects on the rivers in Manipur side which can produce 300MW of electricity which is more than enough to electrify the state.
But, we do not understand why India is so much interested in Tipaimuk dam.