IFCD Minister inspects Thoubal, Dolaithabi Projects
Sets eyes on '09 for completion
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 02: IFCD Minister N Biren who inspected the Thoubal Multi-purpose Project and Dolaithabi project today struck a positive pose and said that he has set his eyes on completing the two said projects by 2009.The IFCD Minister was accompanied by PHED Minister TN Haokip, State Planning Board Chairman E Kunjeshore and MLA Th Lokeshore.

The team after inspecting the project, which has come up over the Thoubal river at Maphou in Senapati district, listened to the points raised by the local people over the compensation and rehabilitation programme of the Government.

Briefing reporters, N Biren said that there were objections from the local people over the work, but once their grievances were looked into, the work progressed smoothly.

If the people extend their co-operation and do not obstruct the work process, then the project may be completed by 2009, said the Minister.

A view of the Thoubal Multi purpose project which was inspected by IFCD Minister N Biren

Chief of Louphung village, which will be submerged once the dam is completed, said that the Government had earlier given Rs 29,000 to each household as part of the compensation.

However this was in 1989, he explained and added that the Government has assured that an amount of Rs 2.19 lakh will be given as compensation for one acre of cultivable land.

The village has in total 284 acre of agricultural land.

The compensation amount is however yet to be released.

The dam, once it comes up, will submerge Chadong, Lamlai Khunou, Lamlai Khullen, Louphung, Phayang, Lamlai Mongbung (deserted) while it will affect other villages like Nongdam Kuki, Maphou, Thawai, Riha etc.

Work on the dam started in 1980 at the estimated cost of Rs 47.25 crores, but due to many unwanted interference such as economic blockades and the law order situation, the work process was suspended.

The dam however received a new lease of life, when Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, during his visit to the State in 2004, announced that the dam would be revived under a special package.

The cost of the project was then revised to Rs 715.81 crores.

The main components of the project include barricading the slopes, a dam with a length of 1120 metres and a height of 66 metres, spillway, barrage, main and branch canals etc.

Other than the barrage (Nongpok Keithelmanbi) and Loukhong, work on the other components have still a long way to go.

The project is being taken up by the Hyderabad based Progressive Construction Limited while ANSAL Properties and Infrastructure Limited is entrusted with the task of constructing the spillway.

The project is also set to irrigate about 33449 hectares of fields and provide 10 million gallon of potable water per day besides generating 7.5 megawatts of power.

The Ministerial team also inspected the Dolaithabi project being constructed over the Iril river at Imphal East.

Just like the Thoubal project, the Dolaithabi Barrage also ran into many hurdles and it was only revived through the Prime Minister's package in 2004.The initial cost was estimated at Rs 1886 lakhs but has been revised to Rs 9837 lakhs.