MDAVO's stand on Mapithel Dam negates people's aspiration
Affected villagers endorsed construction 4 decades ago
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 14 2012:
The hula-bulla over the construction of Mapithel Dam Thoubal Multipurpose Project by the Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organisation (MDAVO) is nothing but a move antithetical to the aspiration of the affected people and the public assent endorsed four decades ago.
An information gauged from official records stated the Mapithel Area Committee East District, Manipur (MACEDM) had organized a public meeting at T.Phaiyang village and adopted a resolution agreeing to take up the construction of Mapithel Dam Thoubal Multipurpose Project on March 3, 1974.This reporter has been furnished with the legal copy of the public resolution endorsed four decades ago.
The MACEDM's public meeting, as per the documents available, was organised under the chairmanship of Late L.Ngamjapou of Maphou (Kuki) village and Late K.S.Khayao, father of Thanmi Kashung, of Chadong village, who were then the president and secretary of Mapithel Area Chingshang, East District, Manipur respectively.
An official statement issued on Wednesday the Mapithel Dam Action Committee (MDAC) convenor Lupheng has also re-asserted that "The members of the meeting had adopted and agreed to take up work construction of the Thoubal Dam" referring to 1974 public meeting organized by the Mapithel Area Chingshang, East District, Manipur (MACEDM) at T.Phaiyang village.
In this context, it is pertinent to state that MDAVO's stand against Mapithel Dam do not hold water as the affected people have already endorsed the construction.
The public movement for and against the Mapithel dam has an interesting story.
In 2003, the MDAVO prevailed upon Mapithel Dam Thoubal River Valley Multipurpose Project Affected Villages Committee under the chairmanship of P.Mahangmi.
It then dealt with the Governments on the matters of Mapithel Dam Thoubal Multipurpose Project until it was de-recognized by the State government for anti-dam activities in 2010 .
Since then, the State government has been dealing with the Mapithel Dam Multipurpose Project Displaced Villages Committee (MDMPDVC), which is legally instituted by Chadong and Lamlai Khunou villages' authorities and villagers.
In the past years, the MDAVO has been leading an anti-Mapithel Dam movement by organizing protest rallies, meetings and litigations.
The latest protest rally took place on November 2 at Chadong village.
Its campaign is also smacked of acquiring support from armed groups-the fact that was proved on October 28 last.
In a statement issued recently, the MDMPDVC stated "That after the verification notice issued on 22nd October, 2012 in local dailies�members of MDAVO and some militants started issuing threats and announcement was even made during the Church service on October 28 ordering the villagers not to take part in the photo verification exercise for the RR packages" .
As per the latest reports reaching here, the MDAVO members of Chadong were on a rampage in the village on November 13 vandalizing power lines of those houses that cooperated with the photo verification held recently.
It was also informed that memorial stone of Peace Academy school in the village was destroyed yesterday.
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