Mapithel Dam Issue : MDAVO demands CBI probe into rehabilitation
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 08 2015: The Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organization (MDAVO) has expressed serious concern over the missing report of two important files on Rehabilitation and Resettlement for affected communities of Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project.

According to a statement issued by MDAVO Vice-Chairman J Themson, the files have been destroyed deliberately by the Government of Manipur to cover up the wrongdoings of the project authorities, contractors and all those involved in fraudulent and corrupt rehabilitation works for Mapithel Dam.

The missing report is a clear evidence of persistent fraud, corruption and manipulation in the construction, and rehabilitation & resettlement of Mapithel Dam.

An urgent investigation to the controversial rehabilitation and resettlement process led by an impartial agency like CBI must be initiated by the authorities concerned, the organization demanded.

It further said that the forced household verification conducted by Joint Verification Team led by the then DC, Ukhrul district R Sudan, then SDO, Phungyar Dimpu Kamei and IFCD officials on October 29, 2012 at Chadong and Lamlai Khunou Villages was marred by the inclusion of fictitious names.

The forced verification was conducted after imposing 144 CrPC with full security at Ramrei Aze (Lamlai Khunou) and Chadong Village.

There were several instances of impersonation whereby making the under-aged children as couples and including many persons who have never resided in the villages.

The matter of household manipulation was also published widely in the media, MDAVO said.

The statement also said that the inclusion of fictitious names in the payment process of rehabilitation and resettlement packages for Chadong and Lamlai Khunou can be established easily from the reply given to the unstarred question of MLA ST Nunghlung Victor during the State Legislative Assembly session held on December 22, 2014.Moreover, refusal to provide list of beneficiaries by the State Government despite filing several RTIs also confirms the fraudulent practice in the rehabilitation and resettlement process.

An impartial investigative agency like CBI should investigate the fraudulent dealings of Mapithel Dam, the MDAVO demanded.

The forced verification process conducted by the Joint Verification Team also constituted violation of the stay order given by the Gauhati High Court.

The Mapithel Dam project has been taken up in utter violation of traditional customary, national and international laws.

It is a money minting project for corporate bodies and those people who are at the helm of power, it said.

MDAVO further urged the Governments of India and Manipur to investigate the unfolding violation, corruption and manipulation in Mapithel Dam; prosecute and punish all those involved in fraudulent practices; stop forcible plugging of Yangwui Kong/Thoubal River and release water immediately; withdraw heavy deployment of security forces in and around the project area and in the affected villages; and stop the construction of Mapithel Dam till the demands of the affected communities to review the dam project is fully implemented.

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