Renovate Khoupum Dam: KAVAC to Govt
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 13 2019: The Khoupum Area Villages Authority Council (KAVAC) has urged the State Government to repair/renovate the Khoupum Dam before the arrival of monsoon season.

Notably, Khoupum Dam has developed cracks at multiple points of the spillway even as its canal which connects to zero point broke apart many years back.

Speaking to media persons during an inspection visit made by the leaders of Manipur Democratic Alliance (MDA) at the dam site today, KAVAC Chairman Athon Remei decried that the Government has not been paying heed to the repeated calls/pleas of the villagers to repair the dam since the past many years even when Congress party was in power in the State.

He continued that the cracks developed on the dam's spillway and breaking of the canal has rendered the dam incapable of supplying water for irrigation to 90 percent of the estimated areas in Khoupum.

Renovate Khoupum Dam: KAVAC to Govt

The dam exists only for name sake although it was constructed with the main aim for providing irrigation facilities to agricultural lands of around 700 hectares in Khoupum Valley and its adjoining areas.

Memoranda were submitted to the State Government during Congress tenure.

Now a BJP led Government has been in the State since the past two years or more.

However, the dilapidated condition of the dam remains the same, Athon lamented.

Given the dilapidated condition of the dam, the villagers of Khoupum valley and its adjoining areas are panicky as the dam may collapse at the impact of turbulent water current once the monsoon arrives, the KAVAC chairman added.

Further informing that an underground canal built in private land alongside the original canal after the original canal broke into fragments near the zero point is being utilized to carry water, Athon Remei lamented that the villagers of Khoupum Valley and its adjoining areas have been contributing money to pay the charge for hiring the private land.

Meanwhile, Thaikhomei who claimed to be one of the staff of the dam lamented that there are no regular staffs to look after the dam and only few Muster Roll staff have been looking after the dam.

He even said that many of the staffs do not attend office due to absence of any rest house or office.

He added that no office or rest house has ever been constructed after the rest houses/offices at Satu, Taosemjang and Gaidimjang had been dismantled.

MDA convenor N Tombi stated that he will convey the pathetic condition of the dam and the inconveniences caused to the villagers by it to the authorities concerned.

He alleged that the prolonged negligence of the previous Government led to the present dilapidated condition of the dam.