Cycle rally taken out against Tipaimukh Dam
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 18 2012:
Protesting against the controversial Tipaimukh Dam, a cycle rally was organised by Social Action Development Organisation in association with various social organizations at Kakching today.
Flagging off from Kakching Khunou College, the rally proceeded up to Kakching Khunou Bazaar road before reassembling Kakching Khunou College again.
The rallyists were seen holding placards and festoons which read "Stop construction of Tipaimukh Dam", "Don't kill people by constructing big Dams", "Revoke the MoU of Tipaimukh Dam", "Respect the indigenous rights of the people", "We don't want Dams, We want forest", "Big Dams should not be built in North East", etc.
The co-organisers of the cycle rally included North East Dialogue Forum; Social Upliftment Foundation, Thoubal; Social Advancement and Research Centre; Life Care Foundation, Umathel and Women's Development Organisation, etc.
After the rally, a memorandum was submitted by Social Action Development Organisation to Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh.
The copies of the same have also been forwarded to Union Power Minister, Sushil Kumar Sinde and Union Environment Minister, Jayanthi Natarajan.
The demands highlighted in the memorandum included revocation of the MoU signed between state government, NHPC and SJVNL on April 28, 2010 and reaffirmed on October 22, 2011; revocation of the Environment Clearance granted by the Ministry of Environment and Forest, GoI on October 24, 2008; Conduct of Holistic Impact Assessment on the socio, economic, environmental, cultural, health and human rights impacts due to the proposed Tipaimukh Dam in all portion of the river in Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and in Bangladesh with due participation of all affected areas; taking the free, prior and informed consent of all affected people as recommended by the UN CERD Committee; detailed assessment of the impact by the Sub Committee, to meet and listen to the affected people and local experts and to make necessary recommendations that respect the wishes and aspiration of the people towards promoting their livelihood, survival's rights and future; adhering to the recommendations of the World Commission of dams and the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples before pursuing Tipaimukh Dam, no militarisation on the pretext of development and repeal of AFSPA, 1958 .
Speaking to reporters in connection with the cycle rally, Mandir Laishram, Secretary Social Action Development Organisation, said that the construction of Tipaimukh Dam would do more harm than any good to the people.
As such it should not be constructed at all.
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