Lamka, October 31 2010: Ahead of the scheduled visit of AICC chief Sonia Ganhi to formally inaugurate the controversy ridden Khuga Dam at Mata village, the mess that has been dominating over the 38 years of construction is again building up as the JAC late yesterday imposed a total bandh on its locale even as the submerged area chiefs have threatened to take their grievances to the streets.

The JAC, which had earlier set October 30 as the deadline for the Government to fulfill their demands during their meeting at the Chief Minister's chamber following their storming the AICC man Faleiro's advance-visit, today justiffied imposition of total bandh as outcome of the failure to uphold the promises made.

'The State Government, represented by the Chief Minister O Ibobi, Power Minister T Phungzathang, PHE Minister TN Haokip and the IFC Minister N Biren had on October 18 during our meeting made a promise to fulfill our demands before October 30, but nothing transpire till date,' said Lalpu Hangshing, the JAC secretary.

'Yesterday we met the IFC Chief Engineer, but he talks only about the pending bills, which is just a fraction of our demand.

What is more intriguing is the fact that he is unaware of the deadline we set at the Chief Minister's chamber,' he added, saying this is apathy and nothing else.

All these factors, he said, have forced them to take the extreme steps.

Among others, the demands raised by the JAC includes completion of all projects (components) the dam was built for, full clearance of bills and compensations, clarification on power generation, expert verification on the dam's health, no inauguration until the components are fulfilled etc.

Meanwhile, the Khuga Dam Submerged Area Chiefs Committee today in a meeting held at Lamjang village appealed to the Government to clear all impending compensations with regards to building, relief and those that are left out in the land compensation.

'We appeal to the government to address our grievances by November 6.Otherwise we will be compelled to take our grievances on the street, in the form of procession,' D Minthang, the committee secretary and Chief of Kullian told The Sangai Express.

The secretary has claimed that they are yet to receive any building compensations, while the monetary relief granted to them was too modest, barely 3000 against their demand for 50,000 .

There are some that was left out during the payment of land compensation as well, he said, besides voicing his reservation over the frequent claim of 'multiple payments' by the Govt.1022 houses destroyed in nature fury in two years: A total of 1022 houses across 140 villages, including 137 hectares of land in Churachandpur district were annihilated by nature in the past two years, according to records maintained by the district's relief and disaster management, towering the amount needed to compensate the losses to over Rs 48 lakhs.

Sources in the disaster management said natural calamities ranging from cyclonic storm; flood, fire, hailstorm and landside have for the past two years (2009-2010) took a huge toll on human habitation in all five sub-divisions of the district.

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