IMPHAL, Sept. 16: A 12-hour state-wide chakka bandh which would be effective from 6 am till 6 pm of September 18 has been called by the Committee on Land and Natural Resources, COLNAR, demanding total scrapping of the Tipaimukh Hydro Electricity (Multipurpose) Project and review of the Mapithel dam (Thoubal Multipurpose) Project.
The Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Project, ACTIP, United Naga Council, UNC, Naga Women Union, Manipur, All Naga Students Association, ANSAM and Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (South) have fully endorsed the strike call.
The strike has been called against the state government’s alleged attempt to construct the Tipaimukh and Mapithel dam forcibly despite objections and calls for review of the same, COLNAR said while announcing the strike.
The body appealed to the people of the state to extend support by not plying vehicles of any kind to highlight the struggle against the projects.
A statement signed by Aram Panmei, convenor of COLNAR, observed that as the Timpaimukh dam was designed to submerge, destroy, annihilate the indigenous people from their own ancestral territories and exposing to potential environmental disasters the people of Manipur, Mizoram and Bangladesh.
Despite the indigenous people’s call for respect of their inherent rights over their land and resources and to their free prior and informed consent before dam construction, the statement alleged that the government continuing to insist on proceeding with Tipaimukh dam construction.
While the affected people are calling for thorough impact assessment of the project, an MoU between the Manipur government and NEEPCO was signed on January 9, 2003, it alleged.
The Union power minister laid the foundation stone for Tipaimukh dam on December 2006 even after knowing that the majority of the people in the region were against the dam, it claimed.
The racial and discriminatory Tipaimukh project has been questioned by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its 70th session held from February 19 to March 9, 2007 and again on August 15, 2008 and it has asked the Indian government why it failed to obtain free, prior and informed consent of the affected communities, it said.
Likewise, with regard to the construction of Mapithel dam the COLNAR alleged that the government started construction without conducting detailed environmental, social, cultural, economic impact assessment.
The Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA detailing all possible impacts of the project on the ecology, environment, human lives in Mapithel valley is still absent, it added.
COLNAR also alleged that the dam area was heavily militarized causing physical and mental threats to the affected villagers.
The state government has repeatedly violated its own agreements and promises given to the affected people, it said adding that in the recent times the government had constituted an Expert Review Committee on Mapithel Dam but it was abandoned without any justification or reasons.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
The Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Project, ACTIP, United Naga Council, UNC, Naga Women Union, Manipur, All Naga Students Association, ANSAM and Naga People’s Movement for Human Rights (South) have fully endorsed the strike call.
The strike has been called against the state government’s alleged attempt to construct the Tipaimukh and Mapithel dam forcibly despite objections and calls for review of the same, COLNAR said while announcing the strike.
The body appealed to the people of the state to extend support by not plying vehicles of any kind to highlight the struggle against the projects.
A statement signed by Aram Panmei, convenor of COLNAR, observed that as the Timpaimukh dam was designed to submerge, destroy, annihilate the indigenous people from their own ancestral territories and exposing to potential environmental disasters the people of Manipur, Mizoram and Bangladesh.
Despite the indigenous people’s call for respect of their inherent rights over their land and resources and to their free prior and informed consent before dam construction, the statement alleged that the government continuing to insist on proceeding with Tipaimukh dam construction.
While the affected people are calling for thorough impact assessment of the project, an MoU between the Manipur government and NEEPCO was signed on January 9, 2003, it alleged.
The Union power minister laid the foundation stone for Tipaimukh dam on December 2006 even after knowing that the majority of the people in the region were against the dam, it claimed.
The racial and discriminatory Tipaimukh project has been questioned by the United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination in its 70th session held from February 19 to March 9, 2007 and again on August 15, 2008 and it has asked the Indian government why it failed to obtain free, prior and informed consent of the affected communities, it said.
Likewise, with regard to the construction of Mapithel dam the COLNAR alleged that the government started construction without conducting detailed environmental, social, cultural, economic impact assessment.
The Environmental Impact Assessment, EIA detailing all possible impacts of the project on the ecology, environment, human lives in Mapithel valley is still absent, it added.
COLNAR also alleged that the dam area was heavily militarized causing physical and mental threats to the affected villagers.
The state government has repeatedly violated its own agreements and promises given to the affected people, it said adding that in the recent times the government had constituted an Expert Review Committee on Mapithel Dam but it was abandoned without any justification or reasons.
Source: The Imphal Free Press
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