Imphal, November 22: Demanding scrapping of the MoU signed between the Government of Manipur and NEEPCO, various social organisations and public leaders boycotted the public hearing on Tipaimukh Hydroelectricity (Multi-purpose) project conduc- ted at Tamenglong district today even as the office of the Veterinary office, Ta-menglong was set ablaze by suspected anti-dam protestors.

Ahead of the public hearing conducted amid tight security at the office chamber of the Deputy Commissioner from 10 am onwards, the market place and all the shops in the district headquarters downed shutters since early morning today.

Raising slogans, the protestors who carried placards with inscriptions like �No to Dam�, �Land is our identity�, �No land no identity�, �Go Back NEEPCO�, �Our land is our life�, �Respect our right to life�, � No to dam, yes to life�, �No to Tipaimukh Dam�, �Where will we go if Tipaimukh dam submerged our land�, etc took out a rally and tried to proceed towards the DC office complex.

But the security forces stopped them on the way and later allowed only 26 representatives to participate in the hearing.

After entering the DC office, the representatives demanded that the public hearing be stopped contending that people of Tamenglong district have always opposed the construction of the dam for the last many years.

After making their demand clear that the MoU signed between the Government and NEEPCO should be scrapped before conducting any public hearing, the representatives reportedly came out of the DC office.

Later addressing a press conference at Zeliangrong House, representative of Citizens Concern for Dam and Development (CCDD) Jiten Yumnam said conducting the public hearing without reviewing the MoU signed between NEEPCO and State Government in 1999 and without taking the consent of the people is not acceptable.

Zeliangrong Union president Dikambui said the attempt being made by the State Government to go ahead with the construction of the dam with complete disregard to the sentiments of the people is condemnable.

Any development work taken up by the Government should have the prior consent of the people, otherwise no such work should be taken up, he said.

The decision to boycott the public hearing was arrived at after the public leaders and the village chiefs expressed their objection to the proposed Tipaimukh dam, he added.

ACTIP convenor Nanda Kamei said the entire project should be scrapped and any attempt to lay the foundation stone of the dam would amount to violation of the democratic process by the Government of India.

Social worker Digao Pamei asserted that 88 percent of the Tamenglong public are against the dam.

The people of Tamenglong should be taken into confidence before taking up any developmental work in the district.

Spokesperson of United Naga Council Samson Raimei also contended that those who were present during the public hearing today are not in favour of construction of the Tipaimukh dam.

Even as the protest demonstration was staged to boycott the public hearing, four suspected anti-dam activists allegedly set on fire the Veterinary Office of Tamenglong district.

A placard with �No to Taipaimukh dam� inscribed on it was found at the site of the office and police suspect that the anti-dam protestors might be behind the act of arson.

According to the chowkidar of the office, the fire was started by four persons.

Major portion of the Veterinary office have been gutted in the fire.

Fire brigade personnel from Tamenglong District Headquarters doused the fire.

On the other hand, Deputy Commissioner of the District Thaithuilung Pamei has stated that 13 villages have given their cent percent consent to the construction of Tipaimukh dam in writing.

Although the public hearing was scheduled to begin from 10 am, four representatives of 13 villages came to the office and submitted their written consent laying down four conditions, the head of the district administration said while addressing a press conference held in his office chamber after the public hearing said.

When questioned whether he consider the public hearing was a success, the Deputy Commissioner hinted that this might not be the final as another public hearing might be necessary if the Union Environment Ministry ordered for it.

He informed that out of 53 villages to be affected by the dam, in all 26 persons including four representatives of 13 villages attended the public hearing.

The Deputy Commissioner identified other 26 persons who attended the public hearing as representatives of Zeliangrong Union; Committee Against Tipaimukh Project; Ze-liangrong Students� Union, Manipur; Imphal Village Authority Chairmen Council, Tamenglong; Zeliangrong Union, Tamenglong; Zeliangrong Youth Front, Tamenglong Zone, Eagles� View Development Agency and Tamenglong on Human Rights.

However, they left after submitting a memorandum announcing their decision to boycott the public hearing, he hastened to add.

When asked whether submission of the written consent of the 13 affected villages before the commencement of the public hearing was valid, the Deputy Commissioner stated that it was facilitated in accordance to the convenience of the affected villages.

Explaining that four conditions have been laid down by the representatives of 13 villages who came to attend the public hearing, the Deputy Commissioner said the first condition pertains to giving compensation to the land owners to be affected by the project before commencement of the work, the second relates to granting fishing rights over the reservoir to the affected villages only, the third to providing free electricity to the affected villages as an alternative means of employment generation and the last to 100 percent job reservation for C and D grades to the affected villagers.

When sought his opinion on the setting on fire of the Veterinary Office, the Deputy Commissioner candidly stated that since the incident took place during the course of the agitation of the anti-dam protestors, involvement of the protestors could not be ruled out or it might be carried out by some miscreants by taking advantage of the situation.

Though no restriction under Cr PC 144 had not been clamped, stringent security measures have been taken up by the Government to ensure smooth conduct of the public hearing today, he added.

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