Imphal, Aug 08: With the State Government still keeping the would-be affected villagers still in the dark on the details of the proposed Dolaithabi Project, the local people of Dolaithabi and and surrounding area have said a firm no to the demarcation of the land until a detailed project report has been furnished and conducted a special survey.

Talking to mediapersons, chief of Utonglok village Hunkhup Koireng informed that the people of the area have already taken a decision to opposed the demarcation of the land before furnishing a detailed project report on the project to be taken up.

It is the rights of the would-be affected people to know the details, he said, while alleging that the Government has been keeping the people in dark on various points related to the proposal of taking up the project till date.

Retired Government employee R Rengthing of Utonglok village said the Government is yet to provide a detailed report of the project to be taken up to the people who would be directly affected by the dam to be constructed.

Though a departmental survey of the project had been conducted, the copy of the survey report has not been furnished.

Verbal assurance given by the departmental officials is not enough to the satisfaction the people, he added.

Expressing desire that an independent expert team should be allowed to conduct a special survey, Rengthing categorically stated that if the 'cons' outweight the 'pros', then the idea of constructing the dam should be given up.

Rengthing informed that Utonglok, Longa Koireng, Vilei, Sadang Kuki, Newbonjang, Old Boljang, Holbung, Gelmol, Dolaithabi, Sadu Koireng, Kayang are the villages which would be directly affected by the dam.

Till date the villagers do not know the total area of the settlement and cultivable land that would remain under water after the construction of the dam, he said.

The rehabilitation programmes to be taken up, settlement policy, if there is any, and the amount of compensation to be paid to the affected people is not known, he added.

The Dolaithabi Project which envisage to irrigate agricultural lands is to be constructed over Iril river by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department.

After commissioning of the dam, places on the southern parts of the dam like Sekta, Keibi, Wakhong, Sagolmang, Pukhao, Uyungpok, Challou, Pangei, Lamlai, Khundrakpam etc would only get irrigational facilities at the expense of the submerged villages, Rengthing asserted.

Located about some 30 kms from Imphal, Utonglok village of Senapati district is a small village which is closest to the site of the proposed dam, Rengthing said.

Rengthing also complained against lack of developmental facilities including medical care, water supply etc in Utonglok area.

Though there is one primary health sub-centre, the people of the area have not received any medicine.

The Community Health Centre at Sagolmang has also not been functioning, thereby compounding to the problem of the people, he said, lamenting that various representation send to the Government in this regard have not been heeded.

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