Public meet on Maphithel Dam held
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 27 2013 : Mapithel Dam Affected Villages' Organization (MDAVO), Centre for Resource Advocacy (CRA) and Committee on Protection of Natural Resources Manipur (CPNRM) jointly organized a one-day public meeting on "Environment Awareness Campaign in Mapithel Valley" at Thoyee Village in Ukhrul district yesterday.

The meeting was held under the banner of "Save Our Agricultural Land; Protect Our Forest and Environment; and Let Thoubal River (Yangwui Kong) Flow Free" .

Speaking on the occasion, Co-Convenor of Centre for Research Advocacy Jiten Yumnam said that among all hydroelectric projects taken up in the State so far, Loktak Project has given the worst impact to the people.

The project has inundated thousands of hectares of paddy fields instead of supplying sufficient electricity to the State, he noted. He further lamented that thousands of people have been rendered homeless after the floating huts on Loktak Lake were burnt down by State Government, and added that due compensation has also not been paid to the hut dwellers.

Jiten pointed out that Mapithel Dam would pose the same impact as that of Loktak Project to the people.

Thousands hectares of agricultural and forest land would be submerged resulting to drastic environmental degradation.

People must be aware of all these worst impacts of dams, he enjoined.

It may be mentioned that the construction of Mapithel Dam began somewhere in the year 1990.There have been several controversies on forest clearance issue.

Vice-President of Mapithel Dam Affected Villages' Organization Thenson Jajo and Member of Manipur Commission for Protection of Child Rights Maharabi also attended the meeting as presidium members.

About 120 villagers from Chadong, Ramrei and Riha attended the public meeting.

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