Govt urged to take over Ithai barrage
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 22 2024: Claiming that Ithai Barrage has caused multiple artificial floods in the State, the Loktak Project Affected Area Farmers' and Land Owners' Association (LPAAFLOA) has urged the State Government to take over the responsibility of monitoring the functioning of the barrage (Ithai) to prevent recurrence of the man made disaster from National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) .

Speaking to the media at Manipur Press Club today, LPAAFLOA general secretary Angom Tiken said that the Loktak Hydroelectric Project has done more harm to the people than good by causing widespread floods in the State multiple times.

Saying that NHPC has been doing whatever they want with Ithai Barrage only to generate power without ever thinking what consequence their actions will bring about, he maintained that what NHPC wants is only to keep enough water at Loktak Lake to generate electricity.

The water level of Loktak Lake always rises whenever there is continuous rainfall due to non release of excess water by Ithai Dam, Tiken said and maintained that excess water at Loktak Lake endangers the lives and properties of people living in and around the lake.

Many residential areas, farms lands and fish farms in the adjacent areas of Loktak Lake were severely affected in the recent floods, Tiken added.

He also said that non opening of Ithai Dam also increases the chance of rivers which fall into Loktak Lake to overflow whenever there is incessant rainfall.

The widespread floods which Manipur encountered this year are closely connected with the Ithai Barrage failing to drain the excess water, Tiken continued while claiming that Manipur witnessed more floods after Ithai Barrage was constructed.

Stating that the recent floods had caused widespread suffering to the people of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Bishnupur and Kakching, Tiken recounted that many farmers incurred heavy losses as their farm lands and fish farms were inundated.

Majority of these farmers reared fishes and planted crops by taking bank loans, he said and added that the price of fishes may soar next year.

Drawing the attention of Chief Minister N Biren over the issue, he urged the State Government to take over the responsibility to monitor Ithai Barrage from NHPC.

Ithai Barrage was monitored by the State Government and guarded by Manipur Rifles at one time when Okram Joy was the IFCD Minister, he said and added that there wasn't any severe flooding even in low lying at that time even when there was continuous rainfall for five days as the Government opened the Ithai Dam in advance.

Claiming that officials at NHPC however don't open the dam fully now even when there is incessant rainfall, Tiken reiterated that it was the non opening of the dam which led to the flooding in many low lying areas of the valley districts.

He went on to state that no compensation has been given for the damage to several fish farms and paddy lands by NHPC in the last 41 years.

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