CRAM expresses concern on commission plan of Mapithel dam
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 19 2017: The Centre for Research and Advocacy (CRAM), an indigenous peoples’ organisation promoting sustainable development and human rights in the State, has expressed serious concern regarding the plan to commission Mapithel dam of Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project .

A press release issued today by CRAM secretary stated that the plan to commission the dame is still premature as the State Government has failed to provide an amicable way to resolve Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) plan of the affected villagers, in both upstream and downstream areas of Mapithel dam .

The affected villagers would be forced to sacrifice their ancestral land, forest, river and residential homes .

The organisation further oppose the plan without detailed assessment in both upstream and downstream areas of the dam which flagrantly violates the human rights as the communities have suffered untold miseries and hardships without an alternative livelihood and other remedial measures .

It stated that the Mapithel dam involves a clear violation of the Forest Rights Act, 2006 as concluded by the recent judgement of the National Green Tribunal on Mapithel dam on December 6 .

The State Government should initiate necessary steps to comply the directions issued in the judgement of NGT Court, Kolkata Bench, to fully implement the Forest Rights Act, 2006 (Recognition of ST and other traditional forest dwellers rights), it asserted .

CRAM further stated that the commissioning plan is untimely and irrelevant as the construction of major components of the dam such as irrigation, power generation and drinking water supply to Imphal are still far from completion.

“It is highly likely that the Mapithel dam would follow the same footsteps of the previously failed and under-performed projects like Khoupum dam, Khuga dam, Singda dam and Loktak Hydroelectric project in Manipur”, it added .

CRAM urged the State Government to desist from commissioning the Mapithel dam until other paramount matters are resolved, including forest rights violation, rehabilitation and resettlement, alternate livelihood for upstream and downstream affected communities etc, for the larger interest of the affected communities.

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