Seminar on Tamanthi Dam held in New Delhi
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, March 17 2012: The Naga Youth OrganisationBurma (NYO-B) organized a seminar on Tamanthi Dam on Chindwin River in Burma/Myanmar today at Nagaland House, Aurangazeb Road, New Delhi.

The seminar, the first of its kind in the India's Capital, New Delhi was attended by around 50 participants from various Naga organisations in Delhi including Naga Scholars' Association (NSA), Eastern Nagaland Students' Union, Delhi (ENSUD), and many others, stated a press release of NYO-B today.

The seminar was organised in order to spread awareness among the Nagas and other citizens about the negative impact of the Tamanthi Dam construction at Homlin Township in the Naga area.

The Seminar was chaired by Miss Nokho, who in her introductory speech to the Seminar, emphasized the importance of a movement against such anti-people initiative of the Governments of India and Burma.

She presented the history of how the Naga Youth Organisation Burma was formed to raise the issues concerning the people in that region where many people will be affected including the Nagas, Kukis etc.

Ke Jung also presented paper on the impact of Tamanthi Dam on the Nagas and Kukis and a detailed analysis of the negative impact about the construction of the Dam.

In 2004, Burmese regime signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with India's National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) for development of Tamanthi Dam.

In 2006, NGO BANCA carries out Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) and found that the Dam will flood habitats of several globally endangered species.

In 2007, Leivomjang and Tazone villages were forcibly relocated from Dam site to Shwe Pye Aye relocation site 40 miles downriver, land cleared and housing compound built for Indian Company employees near Tazone, Teak forest around dam site cleared by Tin Win logging company, Teak forest at relocation site cleared by Jewelry Luck Company.

In 2008, a New MoU was signed between Burma's Ministry of Power 1 and NHPC, stating that India's Department of Hydropower Implementation (DHPI) will form a joint venture with NHPC to develop the Tamanthi Dam.

The Tamanthi Dam is 80 meters in height.

Reservoir of the Dam is 1400 sq.

kms which is the size of Delhi.

The negative impact of the Dam is such that it will permanently displaced 45, 000 people.

So far, 2400 has been already relocated at gun point.

The Government of India will spend USD 3 billion for the Dam.

It is expected that 80% of the power generation of about 1200 MW will go India while 20% will go Monywa Copper Mine, Sagaing Division.

The construction was supposed to commence in 2007, but was kept in abeyance till 2011.No compensation has been paid to the displaced villagers.

It is estimated that with the completion of the Dam, 53 Naga villages, 15 villages inhabited by both Naga and Kuki people and 14 Kuki villages will be permanently displaced.

This will eventually displaced more than 100, 000 people.

The Seminar has resulted into forming a forum called, "People's Forum Against Tamanthi DamDelhi" .

The Forum will campaign against the initiative in the days to come to restore democracy and rights of the people, the release added.

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