North East Dialogue Forum
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 08 2015 :
Maintaining that construction of Mapithel dam has violated the Asian Development Bank's safeguard policies, North East Dialogue Forum has urged the authority concerned to stop construction of the dam.
In a statement, the forum said that construction of Mapithel dam is continuing for the past 30 years.
This has caused destruction of more than 100 hectares of forest land and agricultural land mainly in the upstream.
Blocking of Thoubal river for the construction of Mapithel dam led to complete drying of the river in the downstream, the statement added.
This absence of strategic plan for mitigation, monitoring and assessment is a clear violation of ADB policies.
There was no forest and environment clearance for almost 34 years and the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment granted clearance on December 31, 2015 making a mockery of FCA 1980 and Forest Rights Act 2006, added the statement.