Controversy Continues To Dog Question Of Rehabilitation
Villagers denounce Govt memo on Mapithel project
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 06 2012: Denouncing the State Government Office Memorandum stating that rehabilitation and resettlement processes in respect of Riha and Thoyee (Thawai) villages have been completed in connection with Mapithel (Maphou) Dam project, headmen of the two villages have today dismissed the Govt memorandum as 'false' and 'baseless' .

The State Government, in its office memorandum issued on June 13 last year, stated that the rehabilitation and resettlement process of Riha and Thoyee villages has been completed in connection with construction of Mapithel project, Chairman of Riha Village Council Kapangmi Jajo told reporters here today.

Kapangmi said that the office memorandum of the State Government was false and based on fabricated information which was prepared without consulting the villagers concerned.

He pointed out that no RR process for the two villages has been initiated so far while adding that the probable effects of the dam on the two villages by the Mapithel project were also not mentioned in the Govt's memorandum.

Maintaining that Riha and Thoyee villagers are dependent on land and forests in the Mapithel hill range and Thoubal river for their livelihood, the village head said the livelihood sources of the two villagers would be badly affected once construction of Mapithel Dam is completed.

Headman of Thoyee village, Kh Khathing accused the Government of not abiding by the terms and conditions of the RR agreement that was reached between villagers and the Government in 1993 .

As per the agreement, compensation for land should be paid within a year, the headman said while adding that the compensation for land was delayed and that too without paying any interest.

Asserting that the effects of the project should be comprehensively reviewed, Khathing demanded that the Expert Review Committee set up in 2008 be revived.

He further asserted that the process of rehabilitation and resettlement of affected villagers should be processed based on the findings and recommendations of the ERC.

He also lamented that the Manipur Government lacks awareness on the land and fishing rights of the affected villagers.

Addressing the press meet, Chairman of Mapithel Dam Affected Villages' Organisation (MDAVO), RS Sakathan pointed out that the Govt Memorandum issued on June 13 last year mentioned that the process of RR has been completed for all affected villages other than Lamlai Khunou and Chadong villages.

He said the fact itself is false and baseless.

Pointing out that there are around 250 households in Riha village with a population of 1400 and 265 households in Thoyee village with a population of 1237 people, Sakathan said the dam would submerge 500 hectares of their land.

Inspite of extending help and assistance to the affected villagers, the Govt apparently applies the divide and rule policy among the affected villagers by instigating a group to form another organisation, he lamented.

Comment