'Tipaimukh dam will spell environmental disaster'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 11, 2012:
Around 25,822.22 hectares of forest land of Manipur would be affected by the construction of the controversial Tipaimukh Dam and it would lead to felling down of 7.8 million (around 90 lakh)) trees and bamboos.
The dam would also not only give serious impact on community livelihood and survival but also exacerbate species and induce climate change impacts due to destruction of absorption capacity of Green House Gases (GHGs), asserted NGOs.
These apprehensions were echoed during a day-long Review Meet on Tipaimukh Dam, especially designed to review the key developments concerning the controversial Dam, held at Manipur Press Club here today.
The Review Meet was organised jointly by Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD), Committee on Land and Natural Resources (COLNER), Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam Project (ACTIP), Sinlung Indigenous People Human Rights Organisation (SIPHRO) and North East Dialogue Forum (NEDF).
The meet reviewed the key developments concerning the Tipaimukh Dam especially the recent formation of Advisory Sub Committee of the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India (GoI); the impact of the project on forest; the recommendations of UN CERD concerning Tipaimukh Dam which urged the GoI to respect the Indigenous People's Rights before any mega development project in IP land and the reaffirmation of MoU signed between the government of Manipur, the National Hydro Power Corporation (NHPC) and the Sutlej Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited (SJVNL).
After a thorough deliberation, the review meet adopted a number of resolutions including urgent 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 Holistic Impact Assessment on the socio- economic, environmental, cultural, health and human rights of the people in all portion of the river in Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and in Bangladesh with due participation from all affected areas; to press for taking free, prior and informed consent of all affected peoples as recommended by the UN CERD Committee specific on Tipaimukh Dam; to make a 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 rights and future; to fully adhere with the recommendations of the World Commission of Dams and the UN Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples before pursuing Tipaimukh Dam and no militarisation in the pretext of development and repeal of AFSPA, 1958. Earlier participating in the review meet as resource person, Dr RK Ranjan, Chairperson, CCDD said that the Tipaimukh Dam, as stated in the project proposal, would generate 1500 mega watt of electricity and 12% of the production will be given to the state of Manipur.
But in reality, the project would produce only 400 mega watt of electricity and Manipur would receive only 48 mega watt of power.
To get this little amount of electricity, Manipur have to sacrifice around 25, 822.22 hectares of forest land where 7.8 million tress and bamboos will be destroyed and such actions will not only seriously impact community livelihood, survival and exacerbate species loss but also induce climate change impacts.
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