Oppose arbitrary dam construction along Thoubal River or Mapithel DamOppose eviction in Mapithel Valley

Dear friends,

From January 2015 onwards the Irrigation and Flood Control Department, Government of Manipur began to arbitrarily block the Thoubal River and filling up of the Mapithel Dam Reservoir. The deliberate intention to begin the commission of the dam (Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project) from March 2015 became very clear.

Is the government doing the right thing?

The Government has been trying to showcase every project as development oriented and legally valid. However, in many instances, there are evidences that suggest violations of existing norms and standards. The ongoing construction process of Mapithel Dam has exposed several problems, which indicates that the government has been misusing the term development in many ways. Some of the findings are:1. Firstly, the project has been under legal dispute. The project was approved in 1980. However, the Government have violated the procedural norms by commencing construction of the project without obtaining a clearance from the Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF), Government of India. The MoEF accorded the final Stage II Forest Clearance for Mapithel Dam only on 31st December 2013. However, the clearance itself has been controversial, as it was sanctioned without conducting any site visits to the affected areas. The National Green Tribunal has been studying if there were violations of rights under the provisions of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980 and the Forest Rights Act, 2006. 2. Secondly, due to the failure of an agreement on Rules and Regulations in 1993 and also due to the acknowledgement of the lapses and failure of the project, the Government of Manipur constituted an Expert Review Committee (ERC) on 18 January 2008. However, the government withdrew from the ERC process after seven rounds of talks; the last talk was held in February 2011. The Government of Manipur had used police and forcefully began verification at Lamlai Khunou and Chadong Village from 29th October 2012. The verifications based on Ukhrul District DCs order, dated 28 September 2012 and 26 March 2013, had violated the stay order of the Gauhati High Court of 25 April 2012.3. Thirdly, the ongoing construction process is still subjected to controversy and fraught. There is an absence of a detailed impact assessment on communities with their rightful participation, especially the potential negative impacts on forest land and other livelihood sources. The Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has been preparing to finance a water Supply scheme for Imphal Town from the Mapithel dam. The JICAs support will only add to the inconveniences, harassment and human rights violations of the affected peoples.

Development for whom?

The deliberate and hasty manners in which projects have been enforced have raised the fundamental question about the purpose of the project. The question is, development for whom and at what cost? It also gives an overview of the nature of the relations between project, government and affected people. The project under discussion exposes the following:1. Firstly, the policy makers have not addressed the plights of the affected communities. There is an absence of holistic impact assessment. The filling up of Mapithel dam reservoir had already submerged an extensive portion of the agriculture land, grazing ground, and forest areas of Louphong and Chadong villages. The entire Chadong Village, Lamlai Khunnou and other villages along the Mapithel Hill range will be submerged once the water level rises. Therefore, economic livelihood of the affected peoples belonging to the Tangkhul Naga and Kuki have become insecured. It had led to all forms of social insecurity and psychological tensions. 2. Secondly, the project had led to the gradual drying up of the Thoubal River in the immediate downstream of the Mapithel Dam. It had affected several villages such as the Tumukhong, Itham, Moirangpurel and many others in the Thoubal District. The affected villages, belonging to the Meetei people, are worried about extreme water shortages, for basic household requirements. They could no longer carry out fishing and collection of sand stone, which had been important economic sources. Collection of firewood and seasonable food sources from the nearby hills have been disturbed because of the combined reasons, such as destruction of the forest areas by the project and militarization. As the project site is located in high seismic area, there is also perpetual fear about dam break amongst the villagers in the downstream areas. 3. Thirdly, the ongoing project had been carried out forcefully, by deploying repressive forces. The use of armed or muscle power have suppressed the democratic dissents. Therefore, the policy appears to be undemocratic and anti-indigenous peoples. Militarisation merely adds to the fear and tension among the affected peoples.4. Fourthly, inadequate and lope sided rehabilitation and resettlement process had caused confusion, division and violation of the affected peoples. It had been carried out in a piecemeal and divisive approach and by violating rights.

Is there a looming threat in the name of development?

Manipur witnesses series of mega dams commissioned in 1980s and 1990s. Those were either failed or have been seriously underperforming. The Khuga Dam, the Singda Dam, the Khoupum and the Loktak Projects have failed to fulfil the objectives. Indeed, some of the dams like Khoupum Dam have completely failed to provide irrigation and power. The Singda Dam have failed to generate a single unit of the intended 750 KW of power. Similar is the case with Khuga Dam, which have failed to generate single unit of power, despite the component that is meant to generate 4.5 MW of power. The Government of Manipur, however, continue to construct more hydroelectric power projects. This have been done under the policy of the controversial Manipur Hydroelectric Power Policy, 2012. Understanding this policy unveils a close collaboration between Manipur Government and international capital (money investment), which is exploitative in character. International Financial Institutions like the Asian Development Bank, the World Bank and the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation have been approaching to invest in power projects and allied infrastructure projects. The question is: will the policy bring development or destruction?

What are the demands of the peoples affected by the Mapithel Dam project?

The Mapithel Dam Affected Villagers Organization, the Citizens Concern for Dams and Development and the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur urge upon the Government of Manipur and the Government of India to: 1. Stop blocking of the Thoubal River and filling up of the Mapithel Dam reservoir.2. Stop Mapithel Dam construction till there is an adequate rehabilitation process that is acceptable to the affected communities. 3. Resume the Expert Review Committee that was set up in the year 2008 by Government of Manipur. 4. Stop militarization in and around the Mapithel Dam project site.5. Stop all forms of forced displacement of peoples in the name of Mapithel Dam; uphold the United Nations Declaration on Indigenous Peoples Rights, 2007 and the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams, 2000.6. Urge upon the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) not to finance the Integrated Water Supply Scheme, to draw water from Mapithel dam for Imphal Town.

Note: The appeal is based on the document circulated by the Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organization, Citizens Concern for Dams and Development, Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur.

Monthly leaflet of Manipur AlertManipur Alert (Email: Manipuralert@gmail.com) Vol.1, Issue 4, April 2015.