ALLAFUM decries NHPCL's 'arbitrary' move
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 16 2023:
The All Loktak Lake Areas Fishers Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) has condemned the 'arbitrary' move of the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPCL) of seeking approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change to continue the Loktak Hydroelectric Power Project for another 25 years without taking into consideration the concerns of Manipur Government and fisher and farmer families.
ALLAFUM, in a statement, said that thousands of families have been affected by the project since its commissioning in 1983 .
Asking why NHPCL didn't inform the Loktak Development Authority, the State Government and the Loktak fishing community about their initiative which seeks to continue Loktak project for another two decades and a half, ALLAFUM continued that the four decades of ecological and human disaster caused by Ithai Barrage is yet to be addressed.
Ithai Barrage has been a bone of contention between the project managers and the people of Manipur for nearly forty years now, it added.
Saying that NHPCL must clarify how they plan to rehabilitate and resettle the thousands of people impacted by the project and how they propose to restore the natural status of the freshwater lake which is now 'ageing rapidly', ALLAFUM continued that NHPCL shouldn't give a new lease of life to Loktak Project unless they clarify on the issue.
Manipuri people have suffered extensively because of this project and the lives of the people who depend on the lake cannot be exploited for another 25 years, it said.
Saying that the fish population in the lake has been declining due to the Loktak project, ALLAFUM continued that Loktak is also suffering from siltation, pollution, eutrophication and massive biodiversity loss because of the hydro project.
ALLAFUM urged the State Government to redress the grievances of the affected people before considering to continue the Loktak hydro project or allow NHPCL to freely extend the project's lifespan without taking the concerns of the people into confidence.