Nungba rally against Tipaimukh Dam
By Our Staff Reporter

Participants at the protest rally against Tipaimukh project.
IMPHAL, Mar 9: A massive protest rally was taken out today against the proposed Tipaimukh Dam at Nungba Bazar in Tamenglong dis-trict after a public meeting was held there. A memo-randum demanding imme- diate halt to all process of Tipaimukh Project was also submitted to the Chief Min-ister through Nungba SDO.
The protest rally was organised jointly by Tipai- mukh Dam Affected Villa-ges Committee, Nungba Area, Committee on Land and Resources, Citizens Concern for Dams and Development and Action Com- mittee Against Tipaimukh Project.
Many speakers addressing the meeting iterated that Tipaimukh Dam would produce serious impacts on ecology, environment, flo-ra and fauna as well as the identity of the indigenous people living in Tipaiumkh and surrounding areas.
They asserted that demerits of the dam far out- weighs its merits.
In total contradiction to the assurances given by the authority before Loktak Pro-ject and Khuga Dam were executed that these pro-jects would provide great benefits to the people, but after execution these pro-jects failed to give any sub- stantial benefit to the people.
Power produced by Ti-paimukh Project would not be available to the people of the State. It is meant for sale to other States of India, the speakers asserted.
Even as construction of Mapithel Dam started many years back, people evicted because of the project have not been compensated fully till date.
Both the State and Central Governments and the companies concerned are yet to implement rehabilitation programmes, above compensation.
Considering the past records and antecedents, the assurances given by the State Government and NHPC are highly doubtful.
After the meeting, a large number of people including members of civil organisation and students took out a protest rally starting from Nungba Bazar.
They also submitted a memorandum to Nungba SDO Ahanthem Subash for further conveyance to Chief Minister O Ibobi.
The memorandum demanded an immediate halt to all process of signing an MoU between the NHPC, Satluj Jal Vidyoot Nigam Limited and the State government for construction of Tipaimukh Dam.
It also highlighted the diverse impacts that would be caused by construction of Tipaimukh Dam to livelihood of people, ecology, environment, flora and fauna.
Pointing out that the Tipaimukh Dam site is a seismologically active zone, the memorandum demanded that Tipaimukh Dam should not be constructed without the free, prior and informed consent of all affected people of Manipur.
Placards which read “Our land, our identity, we will decide our future”, “Go back NHPC, enough is enough in Manipur”, “Respect our sentiment”, “No MoU without our free consent” etc were carried all along the course of the rally.