Mapithel Dam Press Release: Dam completion date rejected

April 05, 2010

Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organization
Thoubal Multipurpose Project

BPO Chadong Village, Ukhrul District Manipur

[email protected]

Press Release
5 April 2010

The Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organization (MDAVO) takes strong exception in the new date set for completion of Mapithel Dam (Thoubal Multipurpose Project). In his visit to the dam construction site on 28 March 2010, Mr Okram Ibobi, the Chief Minister of Manipur, announced that the dam will be completed by March 2011. The affected people of Mapithel dam would like to draw the CM's attention that he is being misled by some quarters in his government that the dam can be completed by the date he mentioned. He may note that the Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RnR) must be completed one year prior to the completion of the dam.

As we have communicated to the Chief Secretary too on 28 January 2010 that, as per the Rehabilitation Plan for the Oustees, 1998, prepared by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), Government of Manipur for Thoubal Multipurpose Project (Mapithel Dam), Page no 52 Para 8, it is stated clearly that "The Rehabilitation plan will be completed before one year of the completion of the project".

In addition, the Government has accepted the Terms of Reference [of the Expert Review Committee- constituted by GOM order no.20/1/2005-IFC(Pt) dated 18 January 2008] No.12 which requires that the "Rehabilitation and Resettlement should be completed at least one year before any submergence takes place". However, we are now informed by the Chief Minister that the timeline for completion of the project is slated for March 2011.

In other words, the dam construction must cease now till the Review process as well as implementation of the Rehabilitation and Resettlement is over. MDAVO recalls the letter (No.20/1/2002-IFC) from the IFC-Government of Manipur dated 11 April 2008 which promised that "your proposals were discussed thoroughly by the state Cabinet in its meeting held on 11.04.2008 and it was decided to refer the matter to the expert review committee constituted by the government for rehabilitation and resettlement for detail examination for your proposals and submission of the necessary recommendation thereof". These processes have not been followed or implemented by the government till date.

The affected people thus demand that all dam construction activities must stop immediately, and during this period, conduct proper review of Rehabilitation and Resettlement and implement the same.

signed
(R. KASAR)
Chairman, MDAVO