Dam Imbroglio: Mapithel villagers accuse Govt of colluding with few to settle forest deal issue
Source: Hueiyen News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, November 15 2015: Is the State Government of Manipur trying to drive a wedge between the affected villagers of the infamous Mapithel Dam construction or is it trying to secretly nail the lid on the coffin of the affected villagers; hope for justice on the forest deal issue? After a brief lull in the controversy surrounding the construction of the multipurpose dam, a disturbing development has resurfaced.

Majority of inhabitants of villages in Ukhrul district delineated in the Catchment Area Treatment (CAT) have vehemently alleged that the State Government of Manipur is colluding with only a handful of the affected villages to settle the contentious forest deal issues pertaining to the collective interests of the affected villages.

Mapithel villagers accuse Govt of colluding with few

Stating that the government has devised a divisive policy while giving a short shrift to the common concerns of the forest dwellers of the district, the affected villagers have alleged that it (the government) is covertly trying to settle the forest deal by colluding with only a few villages like Chadong, Lamlai Khunou and Ramrei "We strongly object to the covert plan of the state government to finalise the forest matter in such manner," the villagers contended while adding that settlement of the matter of forest is a common concern and challenge of all the affected people, so any attempt to finalise the matter with few people or village is a violation of rights of all the villagers over their land and forest.

"The issue of forest concerning the Mapithel dam does not confine only to submergence of low lying forest cover of 595 hectares but also extends to all fruit and non-fruit bearing trees, compensatory afforestation of 1190 hectares as well as the proposed CAT plan covering an area of 565 sq km.

which would affect 44 villages in the district" the villagers maintained.

"In the case of Mapithel dam project, forest deal has become a field for the state govt to play divide and rule policy.

The government is metting out different treatments to the affected villages at construction site with the result that the submergence area is even sub-divided with vested interests," rued the hapless inhabitants.

Further alleging that the government is deliberately putting up a smokescreen over its wheeling and dealing, the villagers pointed out that the Catchment area villages including the submerged villages are totally kept in the dark till date about the proposed CAT plan which is part and parcel of the mega project.

Citing various instances of victimization and marginalization of tribal villagers witnessed in Churachandpur district during the construction of Khuga dam, affected forest owners of Singda dam and farmers of Khaopum dam project area in Tamenglong district in the past, the villagers contended that there have been a total violation of FRA, 2006 which manifested the repetition of historic injustice done to the forest dwellers in the Indian social life.

"The case of Mapithel dam is one such latest instance of FRA, 2006 violation" .

"Unless the government stops its covert plan to settle the forest deal issue with a few vested interests immediately, all the affected tribal forest owners of he district would be compelled to resort to various sorts of public agitation," the irate villagers have warned.