Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, Sep 04:
Voice of concern over the damages to be caused by the Tipaimukh Dam project has become louder day by day with people's conventions held at different parts of the State giving unanimous verdict on scrapping the project in view of the irreparable damages it would cause to the land and its people.
A one-day people's convention on Tipaimukh dam held at Sawombung Khunjao today unanimously resolved that Tipaimukh dam project should be cancelled at once in view of the fact that Tipaimukh area in the north east region of India is the second most dangerous seismic zones and the dam might cause irreparable damages to the people if case of occurrence of earthquake in future.
Taking note of the impact the project might give on the socio-economic life of the people, the conflicting claim of NEEPCO that it would generate 1500 megawatt of electricity although experts contended that not more than 401 megawatt of power could be generated and the vast tract of land which would remain submerge under water permanently, the convention made it clear that such sacrifices such not be made just for receiving 43 megawatt of power in return.
Demanding scrapping of the MoU signed between the Government of Manipur and NEEPCO to go ahead with the construction of the controversial dam, the convention further noted out that apart of submerging 293 sq km of land permanently, the dam would also displace 105 villages and render useless 7,252 sq km of cultivable land in the catchment area.
The convention organised by Tribal Women's Development Association, Sawombung Khunjao was attended by social worker G Lanjitpu and former Panchayat member K Jatra Singh as presidium members.
ACTIP convenor Nanda Kamei and convenors Kinderson Pamei and O Bikramjit were among the resource persons who spoke in detailed and enlightened the people on the pros and cons of constructing Tipaimukh dam and facilitated a question and answer session to clear the doubts of the people at the occasion.
A similar convention was also conducted jointly by the voluntary organisations of Sugnu area at ChingTam Community Hall at Sugnu yesterday.
Apart from demanding revocation of the MoU signed with NEEPCO by the Government of India, the convention also resolved to elicit the support of all the people and organisations to stop NEEPCO to go ahead with the construction of the controversial project which had already been classified as not economically viable project by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs of the Centre.