Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 24:
Despite continued opposition from certain quarters, the State Government has expedited the necessary procedures for construction of the Tipaimukh Multi Purpose Project through official intimation to Ministry concerned to obtain relevant clearance.
With the public hearing already conducted recently at Churachandpur and Tamenglong district headquarters on the dam construction, State authorities had apprised the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests to issue �no objection certificate� pertaining to environment concerns as well as �forest clearance�, disclosed an official source.
Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, who is currently at the national capital had also called on the union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Union Water Resource Minister PR Das Munsi to discuss the proposed project.
Explaining that having conducted the twin public hearing under the initiative of Manipur Pollution Control Board, relevant procedures necessitate approval from the central Ministries concerned for the project construction works to begin, the source conveyed that for the project work to activate a Committee would need to scrutinise all its aspects.
Even though the consent of Central Ministries regarding the environmental and forest clearances are being awaited, the Rs 5714 crore dam as well as the Loktak Downstream project had already received the green signal from the Public Investment Board (PIB).
The source also pointed out that if everything goes smoothly power crisis gripping the State would be a thing of the past as numerous power generation projects are on the cards among which include the Lok Downstream Project, Irang Hydro Electric Project, Tuivai Hydro-Electric Project, Pabram Hydro Electric Project and Khongnem Chakha Hydro Electric Project.