Imphal, February 13: Traning his guns on anti-social elements, Chief Minister O Ibobi today said that Maphou dam can definitely be completed within the deadline set, if anti-social elements do not interfere in the construction work of the dam.

Talking to reporters at the side line of an inspection tour of the dam, the Chief Minister said that work on the dam can be completed on time if elements stop harassing the company employees engaged in constructing the dam.

The company officials have been instructed to pump in more machinery and man power to complete the dam within the stipulated time, said the Chief Minister.

The Government will also spare no efforts and release the required fund, he added.

To ensure the security of the personnel working at the dam, plans are afoot to post a Bn of the BSF and one IRB unit at the dam site, informed the Chief Minister.

The dam, once completed, will provide irrigational facilities for agricultural purposes, said the Chief Minister and added that not only this, the dam will also ensure that the water of Thoubal river do not overflow during the Monsoon.

This will check floods, which have caused immense loss to the people.

Construction of Maphou Dam started in 1980 after getting the due approval of the Planning Commission of India.

The estimated cost of the dam was pegged at Rs 47.25 crores then and the year of completing the dam was set at 1987.However construction work was suspended from 1990 till 1997.It was only in January 1997 that the dam was revived.

However again the actual work could not proceed due to the financial crisis besetting the State.

The ethnic strife that erupted then also affected the smooth progress of the work.

The project also got delayed as the land acquisition process, rehabilitation of the displaced persons and payment of compensation could not be worked out smoothly.

The fragile law and order situation also added to the problem.

The estimated cost of the project has now been revised at Rs 446 crores and 2008 is the year set for the dam to become functional.

Maphou dam will be able to irrigate 33,400 acres of land and also provide potable water of 10 MGD.

Over and above this, the dam will also be able to provide 7.5 hydel power supply.

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