MDAVO flays decision to resume Mapitehl Dam construction
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, January 10 2015 :
The Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO) has expressed strong condemnation on the ongoing efforts of the government to resume construction of Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project including construction of a coffer dam from January 10 of this year.
Addressing a press meet at Manipur Press Club here on Saturday, RS Sakathang, chairman of MDAVO observed that the proposed plan to build a coffer dam at Mapithel Dam site over Thoubal River to complete the dam construction before bringing an amicable solution with the affected people will lead to submergence of agriculture land and forest areas belonging to project up-stream villages and displacement of villagers which will be a violation of environmental laws such as Forest Rights Act, 2006 and Human Rights violation.
The ongoing effort to resume construction of the Mapithel Dam is despite the fact that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is still considering the matter of violation of Forest Rights under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006, he said.
He pointed out that fraudulent rehabilitation was carried out to fictitious persons in a partial rehabilitation based on the government's agreement with the Mapithel Dam Multipurpose Project Displaced Villages Committee (MDMPDVC) on September 24 .
Urging the government to revoke its plan to construct the coffer dam and to resume the Mapithel Dam construction, the chairman of MDAVO made it clear that there should be no commissioning of the dam until the 'free prior informed consent' of the affected communities is taken with.