Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 02:
Tipaimukh Dam Affected Villages Committee (TIDAVCOM), Nungba People's Organisation (NPO) and Nungba Area Village Authority Association (NAVAA) have demanded scrapping of the proposed Tipaimukh Multipurpose Project.
In separate memorandum submitted to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh who paid a short visit to the Manipur, these social organisations spelt out 'genuine grievances' of the people particularly those who would be directly affected by the controversial dam.
The memorandum of TIDAVCOM signed jointly by its chairman/convenor Poujanglung and secretary K Ningtinglung recalled that several representations and memoranda have been already submitted to the Govt of India, Govt of Manipur and NEEPCO pointing out demerits of the proposed Tipaimukh dam.
'The proposed dam is going to cause untold damages to the our people, our land, our life, our culture, our assets and properties once for all and more seriously to Nungba, shaping up as a commercial township with diversion of NH-53', the memorandum contended.
While expressing reservation against the manner in which alleged 'staged-managed' public hearing of the dam was conducted, the representation also lamented that although land, terrace fields, standing crops of villages in Nungba area would also be affected and submerged by the dam, details of the same have not been included in both the reports of Project Affected Families and project Affected Properties.
the project is discriminatory and should be scrapped, it demanded.
In the memorandum submitted by Nungba People's Organisation (NPO), its president Johny Gangmei and secretary David Kamei have also questioned the legal validity of the public hearing conducted at Tamenglong on November 22 in which in some vested parties have secretly send 4 persons passing off as representatives of 17 would be affected villages.
IN the memorandum of NAVAA, its president G Paokhui asserted that 'we have already made it known to the Government of India, Manipur and NEEPCO that the Tipaimukh Dam is anti-people, particularly to the hill tribal people and therefore the entire project should be shelved.
All these social organisations also announced their unflinching support to the agitation being launched by people-based civil societies on the matter.