Luwangshangbam Development Association protest against Tipaimukh dam
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 10, 2013:
Luwangshangbam Development Association (LDA) organised a cycle rally at Awang Sekmai registering protest against Tipaimukh dam project today.
LDA Executive Member Kh Malemnganba said that people of the State have been protesting against Government's plan to construct Tipaimukh dam since the past many years.
Saying that Government of India is however hell-bent in going ahead with the project, Malemnganba said that today's rally was taken out in denunciation of the Government's attitude of turning a deaf ear to the collective voice of the people.
Maintaining that Tipaimukh project requires 16 hectares of forest land per megawatt of power, Malemnganba added that the project would devastate 24,329 hectares of forest land and affect 557 families of 12 villages.
He added that the project would not only deteriorate ecological balance but also give serious impact to the villagers and thousands of flora and fauna of the areas.
He said that separate memoranda demanding scrapping of Tipaimukh project would be submitted to the Prime Minister, Home Minister, NHPC Chairman, State Governor and Chief Minister.
The rally was flagged off from Nilapadma Primary School, Awang Sekmai and proceeded towards Sekmai Bazar.
The rally took a u-turn from there and culminated at the starting point.