Imphal, April 16, 2010: A huge protest rally was taken out in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Friday demanding scraping of Mapithel and Tipaimukh dam projects in Manipur and other mega dams in the north eastern region of the country. Over 2000 people of Ukhrul including affected people of the Mapithel Dam (Thoubal Multipurpose) projects, Tipaimukh Hydro (Multi-purpose) project, students and general public of Ukhrul carried out the protest.
Marching through different streets of the town in the district headquarters, the rally originated from two points, Hundung Junction and Kharasom Junction and concluded at Tangkhul Ngana Long Ground after submitting a memorandum to the deputy commissioner of the district for onward submission to the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohon Singh to scrap the two mega projects.
The protestors alleged that constructions of the dams were “blatant violation of rights to life and livelihood”. According to them, the Tipaimukh Hydro (Multi-purpose) project was opposed from its very conception but the Manipur government passed it through without people’s free, prior and informed consent.
Speaking at the public meeting, president of the Tangkhul Katamnao Sanglong (Tangkhul Students Union), Wungnaoshang A Shimray said the construction of the Mapithel Dam without proper rehabilitation on resettlement programme based on expert review committee constituted by the government of Manipur was a clear disregard to the voice of the affected people.
Today’s protest rally was organised by the Tangkhul Katamnao Shanglong (TKS) under the sponsorship of the Citizen Concern on Dam and Development, Imphal, Mapithel Dam Affected Village Organisation, Mapithel as part of International Day of Action for Rivers.
Courtesy: Nagaland Post
0 comments:
Post a Comment