MDAVO objects resumption of Mapithel dam construction
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 10 2015 :
Raising strong objection to the move of the State Govt which reportedly attempted to resume construction of Mapithel dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project from today, including the construction of a coffer dam, the Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization (MDAVO) has warned of launching intense forms of agitation unless the Govt revokes its plans to construct a coffer dam and resumption of Mapithel dam construction.
Addressing a press meet at Manipur Press Club today, chairman of MDAVO, RS Sakathan said that the proposed plan to build a coffer dam at Mapithel dam site over Thoubal River to complete the dam construction before bringing an amicable solution with the affected people will lead to submergence of agriculture land and forest areas belonging to project upstream villages and displacement of villagers which will be a violation of human rights and environmental laws such as Forest Rights Act, 2006 .
He said that MDAVO also seriously takes note of the extensive military deployment in dam affected villages along Mapithel valley for resumption of dam construction.
The ongoing effort to resume construction of the Mapithel dam is despite the fact that the National Green Tribunal (NGT) is still considering the matter of violation of Forest Rights under the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006, he pointed out.
In clear procedural violations, the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Government of India accorded final Stage II Forest Clearance for Mapithel Dam only on December 31, 2013 after more than thirty years of project approval in 1980 without conducting any site visits into affected areas and in violation of Forest Rights Act, 2006 (FRA, 2006), he asserted.
The Mapithel dam construction is marked with endless violations ever since the project was first approved in 1980.The Rehabilitation and Resettlement (R&R) is being carried out through a piecemeal and divisive approach, he alleged.
Beginning from multiple violations of the 1993 Terms of Agreement for Rehabilitation with affected communities, the Government of Manipur failed to conduct a holistic impact assessment as sought by communities under the Expert Review Committee of 2008 .
Again, fraudulent rehabilitation was carried out to fictitious persons in a partial rehabilitation, based on the Government of Manipur's agreement with a newly formed committee, the Mapithel Dam Multipurpose Project Displaced Villages Committee (MDMPDVC) on September 24, 2011 .
The construction of Mapithel Dam is still fraught with the absence of a detailed impact assessment on communities with their rightful participation, especially impacts on forest land and other livelihood sources and further down in the downstream portion of Thoubal River, a mandatory process for any dam construction.
Sakathan further urged the Government of Manipur to revoke its plan to construct coffer dam and to resume Mapithel dam construction and all militarization efforts associated with such construction should be halted.
The MDAVO also reiterated that there should be no commissioning of Mapithel dam until the free prior informed consent of the affected communities is obtained.
All piecemeal approaches for rehabilitation that divides people should end, he demanded while also urging the Government to conduct detailed impact assessment for rehabilitation and resettlement through the Expert Review Committee of 2008 .
Insisting the Government of Manipur to end its 'anti people development processes' that destroy the livelihood and future of indigenous communities of Mapithel Hill Range, Sakathan further asserted that a genuine sustainable development is possible only with due consultation with communities and seeking alternatives and options assessments and not through use of military and undemocratic means.
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