Proposed Tipaimukh Dam
- How enlightened are we ? -

RS Jassal *

How enlightened are we ?
And how much we can aware others honestly. Please observe:

Tipaimukh Dam Project :

Frontal Naga based organisations in Manipur have fervently demanded for the scrapping of the Tipaimukh Project immediately. Why?

They feel: "The process towards the Tipaimukh Mega Dam has been a history of violations of all established national and international norms and standards for development projects including human rights violations procedural and legal defects in gaining environmental clearance etc."

It further says, "Instead of honouring the wishes of the people, the project authority and Governments have taken many undemocratic measures including the use of force (The Assam Rifles, a State paramilitary wing deployed in North East India for counter insurgency operations now extensively provide security for the Project) that have resulted in more rights violations and militarisation of the area".

Further it adds; "The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) in its 70th Session (CERD/C/IND/19) observed in relation to the Tipaimukh Dam Project to seek the free, prior and informed consent of the affected people. Again on August 15, 2008, the chair-person of CERD requested the Government of India to report back on the steps taken by it in this regard, however, the Indian Government failed to do so. Again on March 13, 2009, CERD expressed concern with regard to the construction of several dams and its impact on the indigenous communities of the India's North East region."

This organisation is known as COLNAR ie, Committee on Land & National Resources. Comprising UNC (United Naga Council), NPMHR (Naga People's Movement for Human Rights), NWUM (Naga Women's Union) ANSAM (All Naga Students' Association Manipur) and other NGO is CCDD Manipur who in collaboration with some B'desh NGOs including Sylhet based have raised issues of upper basin riparian/lower riparian affectation and they forecast multifarious devastations on locals in loss of culture, habitats, flora and fauna related—even to the extent that the Assam Rifles is deployed by Centre for forceful completion of Tipaimukh Dam in guise of fighting insurgency.

Readers have no option but to listen to the various views emerging out of different versions but they do enjoy the privilege and the wisdom to subjective analysis.

The concern of such organisations is also worth attending to, there is no doubt; but what happens if views are one sided and smack of negativities alone. Compare management of Tipaimukh water with that of Tarbela Dam supported by UN for Pakistan fed by Mansarover Lake on Indo-Nepal highs.

India was blamed for years by Pakistan for their ills resulting from India side as is now B'desh being made to think of not by their intellectuals & experts but their Parliamentarians (BNP) turned opposition who had no inhibitions while in power but suddenly started feeling otherwise, thanks to the critiques from our country who hardly backed any good action of the Govt. Let us go through quick facts affecting our internal affairs and socio-economic developments.

One is based on suppositions; the other is on experienced reality.

Tipaimukh-Doyeng Hydel Project

Two hydel dams—1500 MW & 75 MW respectively were conceived on the same day. Doyeng in Nagaland is completed. Two phases 25 MW each are in use and one phase was lying unused till two years back. Advantages Nagaland is accruing are tremendous and glowing example of reality in experience.

In Manipur, initial cost of Rs 3000 crores (for 1500 MW project) has risen to Rs 8000 plus and project is likely to kick start soon since all formalities like public dialogue, environs clearance etc have been completed. This will be the first mega project in NE supplicating current supply to Manipur; Mizoram, and Tripura & Assam; surplus may be even sold to B'desh-Myanmar depending on success. Such organisations never objected to when Doyeng went under construction in Nagaland. Here objections and reasons one can ascribe to on assessment one can.

Upper Riparian Philosophy : From Mansarovar glacier waters flowing into Nepal-India-Pakistan makes the Indus river Abbasin (father of the rivers) to flow into Pakistan after travelling 1800 kms somewhere else do fall in this category, with different quantum of waters & to countries (enroute) but Barak which originates from Poumata Laiikhullen (a natural pond) to Tipaimukh is reinforced by waters from Mizoram & Myanmar, Nagaland.

Assam gets navigable during monsoons only (one can see anytime) but it rises in enormous volumes at Silchar during monsoons where ships also ply. So it is imaginable multidirectional nullahs, reverines merging into Barak from Assam-Manipur-Nagaland- Tripura too. Floods occur in Badarpur-Hailakandi basins.

In this case it is not connected with any glacier like Mansorvor but only management of waters from going waste and yet harnessing for the best use of people & the State. Manipur is the only State in NE which is poorest in Power supply to its people.

Manipur will be creating water reservoir first at Tipaimukh, allowing the balance waters to overflow through same natural routes & not causing any diversions, so Barak alone is not affecting levels of water at Sylhet as there are waters other than Tipaimukh to impact.

There is no technique available by which water running 200 km down stream can be rolled back to fill up reservoir at Tipaimukh base proposed to be constructed.

Tarbela Lake (Pakistan) fed by Indus river water stands reduced considerably in water level. ADNI in Pak paper POST reports.
"The truth is seeping out that it is not India that is responsible for shortage of water in Pakistan but bad management of existing riverine resources by a nation more intent on divisive, abusive relations with India than seek long term solutions to the problem of water shortage in the lean season..... Tarbela Lake has the capacity to store only six million feet water but 89% of country's water resources is being wasted due to non-availability of water reservoirs ..."

According to some expert's survey from Mansorover to Yarbela 17 big dams & some small dams (like Doyeng) can be constructed as per UN reports published from time to time.

Latest from Bangladesh. It is understood one Parliamentary delegation from B'desh is likely to visit Tipaimukh. So far well & good—It is a welcome sign.

However some general reading given below be taken note of :-

1. Dam at Tipaimukh will neither block their water nor deplete the quantum of flow as it is 200 km away from Sylhet.
2. It is neither a barrage nor diversion like Farrakha Barrage.
3. There are still mighty rivers like Brahmaputra. Tiesta Subansiri, Ranga like flowing into their country with numerous tributaries other than from North-North- west of Tipaimukh will still be flowing into Bangladesh.
4. Many clarifications are sought by UN bodies affecting two countries on common issues but such bodies have no right to interfere in the internal affairs of any country especially when related to economic development related needs.
5. The dam may come up or not, SFs (Army or the Assam Rifles) have to stay there. When they were not there imbroglio created by the Non-State Actors and intervention through Lok Sabha by TH Sangliana then MP & Hmar bodies should still be fresh in the minds of locals and such NGOs. Connect Parbung-Langthulien & IED issues for which SF's were moved.
6. MOU signed between the State Govt & NEEPCO clearly mentions "three battalions of CRPF maintained by NEEPCO in all respects as agreed to by the Govt of India will be there solely for the project related activities." So relating Assam Rifles or the Army to the forceful construction of dam does not meet the eye.
7. Hydel Project capacity of power production is reduced during non-monsoon period, at least by 40% so to make up for shortfall of power a thermal plant is needed which is much costlier compared to hydel project so for that purpose Fullerthal Thermal plant is already in existence which may be upgraded to meet the co-relating shortfall. How a new hydel dam is going to come up there is not understood.

Perhaps ACTIP & NEEPCO executives need a sitting, face to face.

To end : It is appealed if yet the team from B'desh wish to visit, they must be made to move by road transport from Jiribam to Tipaimukh via Man Bahadur road to enable them to see depth of water, existence of flora fauna, living conditions of people in & around.

At Parbung, the team can have a look on BIG WASTE TRIANGLE created by Sawkardei (Mizoram) down reaches to Parbung to Verangte on either sides of Barak, to suggest 'to people in objection' the best use one can make of such marshes & condition of hills denuded of trees since decades to contemplate who are the real plunderers, robbers of natural resources. Remember, nations are never built on feeding misinformation & tailored propaganda.

Yes, battles can be influenced like it happened in Kurukshetra Battle (Mahabharata) where Kauravas defeat was hastened by one sentence from clever reporter Sanjay, 'Ashwathama hato....' meaning a great warrior with a quick pause 'gazo va' meaning by elephant. It was the elephant who had died.

Its impact on Kaurava armies engaged in thick of the battle was enormous leading to their defeat. It is hard work, sincere efforts of 'people at work' which turn the nation's destinies on. Let us admit it is the incoming money to the 'displacees' which is dictating implementation strategies.

That is to say conflicts between NSAs, Village Chiefs, some villages of differing tribe & Chief from a different tribe (like village of Hmars but Chief being Kuki in most of the cases), mode & place of payment of compensation accruing from MOU.

Since I visited Tipaimukh a couple of years back to have first hand study of Dam & met many Hmar influential leaders from surrounding villages, I had assessed a good majority of them were in favour of Dam to come up. And are still so!!

Finally Govt of Manipur will do well if a committee of five to seven senior citizens irrespective of tribe/ community who are known for their integrity, honesty & concern for Manipur (Manipur as a whole) and many such persons are there who have not lost their 'ikiogi' (purpose of life) is constituted to oversee the implementation part of payment to actual 'displacees' strictly as per MOU.

Main problem appears to be handling of MOU.... by WHOM!! by Chiefs, or persons to be internally displaced or the UG in play.

Later some approached the author to get payments through his organisation, (MCSC) to hand over same to them at Imphal, some suggested to arrange at SBI Aizawl & some even at New Delhi & no takers at Churachandpur for fear of bulk of money slipping into hands of NSA's. All these things are neither workable nor legally correct.

DC Churachandpur is the only legal authority to do so. Then dispute occurs who will handle the contracts other than highly technical. So Govt has to find out solutions to these intricate issues but must kick start the project as soon as possible for quick development of the State.

However the following quote from the PM of Bangladesh comes as a balm and should satisfy Indian side more than enough. "I would be happy if I found their loud voice against the Tipaimukh Dam when they were in power." -Hasina in the Parliament.

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*RS Jassal wrote this article for The Sangai Express
This article was webcasted on July 24th, 2009.

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