International Rivers Day celebration raises voices against dams, calls for preservation of rivers
The Imphal Free Press, 15 March 2023
The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRA) along with the Lairouching Village Authority and the Loktak Fisheries Welfare Association celebrated the International Rivers Day at Lairouching Village along the banks of the Barak River on Tuesday. The celebration was held under the theme, “Let all the Rivers Flow Free in Manipur”.
CRA secretary Jiten Yumnam, sharing the keynote address, spoke on the importance of rivers as a source of culture and livelihood of indigenous peoples. The International Rivers Day is being celebrated to protect the intrinsic relationship of rivers with people and to ensure that rivers are free from pollution and to prevent dam building that can kill rivers, he added.
Jiten also expressed concerns that the construction of 67 MW Khongnem Chakha Dam and 190 MW Pabram dam will submerge a massive tract of agriculture and forest land in areas inhabited by the Liangmai and Maram Tribes in North Manipur. Indigenous peoples’ rights should be fully recognised before introduction of any kind of development processes affecting the land, river and forest in Manipur, he added.
Lairouching Village Authority member, Solomon shared that the proposed 67 MW Khongnem Chakha dam will affect at least seven villages belonging to the Maram and Liangmai tribes in Maram, Chakha and Willong areas. The consent of the villagers should be taken before undertaking any project over their land and territories, he said.
Environmentalist Themson Jajo emphasised the importance of valuing the role of rivers stating that rivers are life. He stressed that rivers have the right to flow freely and the right to perform their role to promote the ecosystem and the right to be free from pollution. He lamented that the construction of large dams like the Mapithel Dam disturbed the natural flow of Thoubal River and severed the intrinsic relationship of indigenous peoples with the river for fishing, collection of sand and stone and for access to the water, etc.
Mothel Saka from Thawai Village shared that the social and cultural relationship of communities in Mapithel valley has been severed by the Mapithel Dam. Dams, instead of benefiting the people, unleashed suffering and miseries to the people, he said, adding that Dams are promoted in the pretext of development but caused impoverishment and worsened inequality in Manipur. Dams led to submergence and deposition of sand and silt in agriculture land in Mapithel areas, he pointed out and called on communities not to sacrifice land for projects that will entail suffering to them.
Loktak Fisheries Welfare Association secretary Heisnam Chaoba shared that the protection of rivers in Manipur is crucial to promote the health of wetlands, such as the Loktak Wetlands in Manipur. The rivers and wetlands provide fished and other seasonal food. However, the construction of hydroelectric dam projects destroyed the livelihood of people in Loktak wetlands, he said. Corporate bodies like the National Hydroelectric Power Project only benefited from dam building while communities in Loktak suffer, he added.
Later, the participants of the International Rivers Day celebration organised a symbolic mobilisation at the Barak river portion in Lairouching village and raised slogans such as, “Let the Barak river flow free”, “The rivers, forest and land is our life”, “We say no to 67MW Khongnem Chakha dam.
Stop false projection of large dams as climate change-friendly: Northeast CSOs
The Imphal Free Press, 7 March 2023
Various civil society organisations in Northeast India have called upon the government to stop all false projections of large dams as climate change friendly in the region, and to stop illegal mining and oil exploration. The organisations include the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur; Affected Citizens of Teesta, Sikkim and the Borok Peoples Human Rights Organization, and the Tripura and Civil Society Women Organization, Meghalaya.
The serious concern was raised during the North East India Consultation on protection of Indigenous Peoples’ Land and Human Right from March 4 to 5 in Imphal. The consultation programme was organised by the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur, in collaboration with the Affected Citizens of Teesta, Sikkim and the Borok Peoples Human Rights Organization, and the Tripura and Civil Society Women Organization, Meghalaya.
During the consultation, the CSOs called on the government of India to revoke plans to build the 520MW Teesta IV Hydroelectric Project in Sikkim, the 2880 MW Dibang dam, the 3097 MW Etalin Hydroelectric Project in Arunachal Pradesh, the Umngot dam in Meghalaya, the 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam, the 190 MW Pabram dam, Irang dam, etc. in Manipur.
Expressing concern over mega dams built and proposed over the rivers for submerging land and displacing people for desecrating cultures, causing flood and loss of biodiversity, the CSOs has called to stop all false projection of large dams as climate change friendly in North East India. They called to stop mining and oil exploration in entire North East pursued without people’s consent. The intensification of mining in North East including mine coal, chromium, uranium in protected areas such as Dehing Patkai National Park in Assam is alarming; stop illegal coal mining in Meghalaya and Assam, it stated.
It stated that the oil and gas exploration involving multinational companies unleashed environmental impacts, such as due to Baghjan Oil spill in Assam. The Oil India Limited should rehabilitate all affected communities and provide reparation and compensation for the damages inflicted by its Baghjan Oil spill.
They called to stop palm oil cultivation due to potential impact on forest, water, biodiversity, undermining food sovereignty and even worsening climate change. All Agri business with involvement of corporates and International financial institutions should be regulated to ensure accountability of corporations. The CSOs call up on to stop all forms of forced eviction and to end all form of threats to indigenous communities living and depending on forest. They urge upon the government to solve the problem of land resettlement of the indigenous people of Laika-Dadhia forest village in the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park in Assam.
Express their concern that mega infrastructure projects, high voltage transmission and distribution lines, Trans-Asian railway and road projects are pursued in fragile geology, high seismic and biodiversity rich area in North East, which induced disaster, such as Marangjing Landslide of June 29, 2022. The Northern Frontiers Railway should compensate for the land damaged and lives lost due to Marangjing landslide.
The CSOs stated that the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Japanese International Cooperation Agency, KFW, Germany and other international financial institutions that finance sectoral projects in North East etc should uphold indigenous peoples’ rights and adhere to their safeguard policies and human rights standards. The corporate bodies are benefiting from the destruction of indigenous peoples land and resources in the pretext of development even as the land are destroyed and people suffer. We call to establish mechanism to ensure corporate bodies accountable for their violations and to uphold transparency and human rights.
They also called on to recognize the role of indigenous human rights defenders campaigning for just and sustainable development in North East. And also, call for a desist targeting all indigenous human rights defenders in North East to arbitrary detention, threats, intimidation, torture and to ensure their safety. CSOs also stated that unsustainable development also intensify the militarization process in the region.
“We call on to stop militarization in North East. Repeal Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958, Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1967, National Security Act, 1980, that are applied to target Human Rights Defenders in North East. Rescind neoliberal development policies, New Land Use Policy, Draft Forest Policy etc.”
They urged the governments to ensure full functioning of indigenous human rights organizations, and to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 and recommendations of all UN human rights bodies in all development processes affecting their land. They stated that they will appraise all indigenous human rights mechanisms on indigenous peoples’ situation in North East.
Secretary, CRA, Manipur Jiten Yumnam shared that there is increased targeting of the land, rivers, forest and natural resources across North East for dam building, energy projects, extractive industries, false climate change solutions with increased financing of international financial institutions and undermining indigenous peoples rights.
Gyatso Lepcha of the Affected Citizens of Teesta, Sikkim, shared that indigenous peoples’ land, water, rivers are sacred. Sikkim already experienced disaster and social impacts due to large dams. Dams entail building multiple infrastructures, roads and high voltage transmission and distribution lines that added to the disaster potential and social impacts. Corporate bodies while benefiting from dam building remain unaccountable for the violations.
Agnes Kharshiing of the Civil Society Women Organization, Meghalaya shared that extensive mining in Meghalaya caused massive environmental destruction and impact on people. Beautiful hills and forest are being destroyed and plundered in Meghalaya for mining. Traditional decision making process has been undermined. Policies on mining has been framed without the people. The Uranium mining plan in Meghalaya will destroy land and forest. Mining does not benefit the people, but the corporations and elites.
Community leaders are attacked for raising the unsustainability and myriad impacts of mining. Robin Moran, Environmentalist from Assam shared that Dehing Patkai National park has been a source of livelihood of indigenous communities. Mining concession and oil exploration has been pursued inside the park without the consultation and consent of the indigenous peoples. Pollution due to coal mining causes health disease, heart diseases, lungs, cancer and other skin diseases. Oil pipelines pursued through the Dehing Patkai area will destroy forests.
Bhanu Tatak of Dibang Resistance, Arunachal Pradesh shared that the proposed 2880 MW Dibang Hydroelectric project and 3097 Mw Etalin Hydroelectric project will destroy forest and fragile biodiversity in Arunachal Pradesh. Emergency laws like the Armed Forces Special Powers Act, 1958 and National Security Act, 1980 are applied to promote unsustainable energy projects and to create fear within affected indigenous peoples.
Anthony Debbarma, Borok Peoples Human Rights Organization, Tripura shared that several memorandum of agreement were signed with the government to push for oil exploration and creation of oil pipelines in Tripura without recognizing the rights and consent of indigenous communities. Indigenous human rights defenders are targeted to attacks and arbitrary arrest for defending their land and resisting corporate expansion in indigenous land.
The participants resolved the statement and resolutions that they, the indigenous representatives from the states of Sikkim, Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Manipur in Northeast India affirm our inalienable rights over our land, forest, river and resources. “Our land is fundamental for our livelihood, culture, identity and future. We call upon the government of India to recognize indigenous peoples’ self-determined rights over our land and resources in the North East,” they resolved.
‘Recognise indigenous peoples’ rights over their land and forests’
The Imphal Free Press, 28 February 2023
Indigenous people who participated on a consultation on ‘indigenous peoples and forest rights in Manipur’ on Monday urged the state government to recognise indigenous people’s right over their land and forest and further amend and repeal forest laws that are detrimental to rights of indigenous communities.
The consultation, which was organised by the Centre for Research and Advocacy (CRA), Manipur, called to desist unsustainable development projects that destroy forest land and to stop promoting non-native trees and mono-cultivation in Manipur, such as palm oil cultivation in Manipur.
The meeting also called to stop a false solution for climate change targeting forest land and to stop all forms of forced eviction of communities living and depending on forest. The participants also expressed concern over the show cause notices for declaration of protected areas, reserved forest, national parks and the urgent threats to indigenous peoples with forced displacement, land alienation and impact on their culture and identity.
The meeting resolved to approach all redressal mechanisms including the Human Rights commissions, legal mechanisms and even International Indigenous peoples’ human rights bodies to recognize indigenous peoples’ rights over forest land and further to strengthen empowering communities on indigenous people’s forest rights. During the consultation meeting, CRA secretary Jiten Yumnam shared that indigenous peoples have intrinsic physical and cultural relationship with their forest land in Manipur.
The pursuit of unsustainable development led to destruction of forest land in Manipur, he said, adding that Tipaimukh dam will submerge more than 27,000 hectares of forest land. Pointing to the increased eviction of communities depending on forest for pursuance of unsustainable development and false climate solutions to conserve forest, he said the Forest department relies on law enforcing agencies to undermine indigenous peoples’ human rights, such as forced eviction at Kangchup Chiru village in December 2022.
The forest management should ensure full recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights over their forest land. Environmentalist Themson Jajo shared that indigenous communities living with forest are served with show cause notices under Indian Forest Act, 1927 and Manipur Forest Rules, 1971 to produce land title. Several sections of the Manipur Forest Rules, 1971 undermined indigenous peoples’ rights.
There is a clear need to repeal forest laws, detrimental to the rights of indigenous peoples. Mapithel dam led to submergence of more than 600 hectares of forest land. There is a need to recognize the traditional role of indigenous peoples in sustainable forest management and empower communities to protect forests.
Chairman of Kangchup Chiru village, TR Jacob shared that Kangchup Chiru Reserve Forest has been declared without peoples’ consultation. Survey conducted without villager’s consent and several villagers subjected to forced eviction in December 2022, while several villagers now threatened with eviction. Villagers are assaulted and arbitrarily detained in police lockup for defending their forest. The Kangchup Chiru villagers are further threatened with eviction as the reserve forest area is being expanded.
Langthabal Chingtha village representative Namjanlung Gangmei shared that the Kabui community has been settling in Langthabal Hills for several generations. However, several villagers were served notice as encroachers. The prolonged inalienable relationship and villager dependence on forest for livelihood need be honoured.
Sekmai Protection Committee representative Dhana Laimayum shared that the communities of Sekmai village have been managing their forest through traditional customary laws. Recently, the Manipur Government declared community forest as Government land in Sekmai, which affects more than 60-70 % percent of community forest land. Villagers are concerned if the government takeover of forest will facilitate protection of forest.
Loktak Fisheries Welfare Association secretary, Chaoba Heisnam shared that the community land in Loktak wetlands has been declared as forest land and Wildlife sanctuary and restricted community access for fishing, farming and collection of seasonal herbs, fodder, firewood etc.
The government is expanding the Reserve Forest land in Keibul Lamjao areas. People already suffered due to the 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project by submerging their land. Tokpaching Forest Rights Committee secretary, Heisnam Basanta shared that indigenous community has been managing forest for generations. Protected area declared in 1965 without the consultation and consent of people in Tokpaching area under Indian Forest Act, 1927.
The application of Manipur Forest Rules, 1971, Indian Forest Act, 1927 will cause much tension to the communities. There is an urgent need for repeal of the forest Act, or to amend the forest laws to recognize indigenous rights over their forest. The promotion of mono cultivation degrades forest, leading to drying up of water sources and affecting biodiversity.
The management of forests with indigenous peoples’ participation is crucial, he added. Joseph Hmar, Hmar Inpui shared that land is not just for livelihood, but also inalienable for culture and identity. It’s an unfortunate forest given more importance than people in policy formulations.
Policies affecting land and forest need to be framed with community participation and rights recognition. The Tipaimukh dam threatens to destroy more than 27,000 hectares of forest land in Manipur. Rampant logging happens in Tipaimukh region but the Forest Department remains ineffective to prevent deforestation.
Environmentalist John Pamei shared that Land and forest relationship with indigenous peoples was critical and the failure to consult communities caused much tension among communities. The implementation of India’s Act East policy led to multiple projects, dams, oil exploration, roads, trans Asian railways, oil pipelines etc. that will further target and destroy forest land in Tamenglong and other areas, he said.
Six dams are pursued in Tamenglong and these will unleash massive devastation. There are cases of forest department promoting forestry in community land and later claiming it as forest department land after maturing of trees, he added.
Manipur landslide death toll reaches 48; 14 still missing
The death toll of the June 29 landslide at a railway construction site in Manipur’s Noney district rose to 48 till Wednesday evening after one more body was recovered from the debris, officials said.
The Hindustan Times, 6 July 2022
The landslide, said to be the first of such magnitude in the state’s history, hit the railway construction camp at Marangching part 5 areas, about 75 km west of the state capital, after the midnight on June 29. It also hit 107 Territorial Army (TA) camps of the Indian Army, deployed at the area for protecting the construction site. An search and rescue operation has been going on for the last seven days.
“We’ve recovered one more body around 3.30pm today,” a senior state government official monitoring the situation said on Wednesday, adding that the operation will continue.The impacted area, according to rescue officials, is spread over roughly 1km.
Meanwhile, another official informed that the recovered body from Ijai River in the day’s search has been identified as one Umesh Lama of 107 Territorial Army.
Also Read |New in the Northeast | Manipur landslide: Nature’s fury or a man-made disaster?
13 more bodies are yet to be traced.So far, there is no report of recovering the bodies of the members of two families from Marangching village part 4 and part 5. Among the missing are 29-year-old Kabamgai, his wife and one-and-a-half-year-old daughter. The family from Marangching Part 4 used to run a shop at the railway construction camp.
Till Tuesday evening, 47 bodies out of 79 confirmed victims,were recovered while 18 injured persons were rescued and referred to hospitals for treatment. Out of the total bodies recovered, 28 are those of Territorial Army personnel while 14 others including 2 Territorial Army personnel are still missing.
Among the 18 injured persons who were rescued from ground zero on the first day of the search,seven of them are presently undergoing treatment at the Assam Rifles multi-speciality hospital at Mantripukhri on the outskirts of Imphal. Meanwhile, Manipur water resource and relief & disaster management minister, Awangbow Newmai, who continuously checked and supervised the ground zero of the landslide affected areas, visited again on Wednesday at the landslide area and chaired a review meeting with the officials stationed there.
The Noney district authority is currently closing Tupul to Noney district headquarters stretch of the National Highway 37 even though the accumulated debris along the highway was cleared on Wednesday.The movement of heavy vehicles on the route has been restricted following the falling of rocks.
International Financial Institutions in Manipur increasing loans and indebtedness of people
The Imphal Free Press, 30 January 2022
A workshop consultation on International Financial Institutions (IFI) in Manipur held on Saturday at Manipur Press Club in Imphal asserted that the IFIs in Manipur are increasing loans and indebtedness of Manipur and its people to Asian Development Bank, World Bank, New Development Bank, Japan International Cooperation Agency, French ODA, etc. and are destined to be trapped in a vicious circle of debt, conflict and impacts on communities and its fragile environment.
The workshop consultation was organised by the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur; the United Voluntary Youth Council and the CSO Partnership for Development Effectiveness, India on the pattern of financing and persisting issues and challenges of IFI financing in Manipur and to discuss ways and strategies to promote effective and sustainable development.
CRAM secretary, Jiten Yumnam said that ever since the adoption of a neo-liberal economic system by the government of India in 1990s, IFIs (both bilateral and multilateral institutions) have changed the politico-economic framework while the geographical advantage of Manipur have generated massive focus in expanding trade and investment cooperation between the countries with dominant economies of South and South East Asia. There has been an aggressive move to connect the NorthEast region with SouthEast Asia for trade and investment, as evident by the aggressive construction of Trans Asian Highway and Railway, Trans Asian High Voltage Transmission and distribution lines, all passing through Manipur, Jiten added.
The exclusivity of the development decisions making, the incompatibility of the initiatives with the primary needs of Manipur and insensitivity to the rights and impacts on indigenous peoples of Manipur has long been questioned, Jiten said.
Jiten explained in-depth on the challenges faced in implications of International Financial Institutions in Manipur. In Manipur, the ADB, the World Bank and JICA are primarily involved in financing of sectors such as road building, energy, water and sanitation, agriculture and business etc.
The World Bank is currently funding the dam rehabilitations and improvement project (DRIP) for Singda Dam and Imphal Barrage. As such, development cooperation in Manipur is marred with a range of social and environmental issues in addition to the direct and indirect violation of indigenous people’s rights. The project financings are also marred with lack of accountability of corporate bodies involved in the project financing and implementation, Jiten said.
The key challenges of the Official Development Assistant (ODA) projects in Manipur are the policy conditionings, tied aid or reliance on consultants from the donor countries at exorbitant consultancy fees. The challenges of such financial support of the international multilateral and bilateral banks are that the monetary support come as loan support with obligatory interest payments.
Most of the ODA financials are non-concessional, which also undermine the objectives of ODA to have greater grant components. The implications of these loans in Manipur have never been considered in projects or discussed with communities. Manipur is one of the poorest states of India with limited source of revenue and the state continues to reel in precarious financial situations, Jiten added.
Affected people of the proposed Imphal Town Ring Road and affected people of various development projects shared their experiences and opinions during the workshop. They said that the non-recognition of rights, lack of accountability of project authorities and intimidation to community leaders striving for development justice only undermine the effective partnership process between the communities and project authorities. The exclusive nature of the pursuance of such development processes and the least concern directed to the rich biodiversity of Manipur is also a concern for affected people.
As a moderator of the workshop consultant, CSO partnership for development effectiveness, India, focal point, Josephine Joseph said that it is high time to reflect on the implications of liberalization of policies and targeting people’s resources by extracting industries with tactical involvement of IFIs pursued under India’s Act East Policy. The project requires addressing basic rights of indigenous survivors. Public hearing has to organise wherever it is possible and every project should consult people, she added.
The casualties of Mapithel dam even as the dam lays non-functional.
Vulnerability of Leimatak River 
Themson Jajo, The Sangai Express, 20 December 2021
Consultation : Protection of Land, Rivers and Forest in Leimatak on 15 November 2021 :: Pix – Centre For Research And Advocacy, Manipur
Like arteries of human body, rivers circulate water and nourished the earth planet. Among the precious free gifts of nature, rivers constitute the most essential being for people’s sustenance, development and the best host for living creatures. Above all the multiple significant roles of rivers, the indigenous river based communities have inseparable historical chain, cultural relationship, social attachment and key factor for their survival over generations.
Rivers have been source of folk songs and folklores for many communities around the world. It is due to these reasons why Maori tribe of New Zealand termed the River Whanganui as their forefather and still some other communities considered their rivers as god.
Manipur is gifted with several beautiful small and big rivers. Among them, the Leimatak River is a remarkable and enchanting one. It is a major tributary of the Irang (Alang) River. Originating originated from Churachandpur district, it flows towards the western side of Manipur. It is a unique river which runs northerly directions unlike others that usually flow from north to south. This river flows with a fresh water with crystal clear appearance.
Leimatak River is also known for its profuse and tasty fishes. It has been tiding freely and elegantly since the beginning of ages. According to folks living nearby, the original name of this river is Leimata meaning, rejecting bridge building over it. It was told that people in the past made attempt to construct bridge along the said river, but supernatural creature (as their belief) destroyed at the very night the bridge was built.
The Leimatak River is enchanted not only for its free and natural flow but also encompasses boon and associates with indescribable chain of relationship with the river based indigenous communities. Thousand of indigenous people sipped the shower of blessing from this river.
With the Leimatak River, the indigenous people living in the valley range were blessed with fertile land suitable for permanent wet rice cultivation and for animal grazing. River water and its resources such as fishes, primps, crabs, snails etc. feed the incumbents as a source of food and economy and its sand and stones provided free material for construction purposes since forefathers.
It is worth reflecting that many rivers across the globe have been granted legal entity as human being today. They are no longer mere rivers as one sees but as a legal personhood. River Whanganui has been legalized by New Zealand Parliament on 15th March, 2015, River Ganga & Yamuna in India on 21 March 2017 by Uttarakhand High Court, the Colombia’s constitutional court granted legal rights to the Atrato River on 22 May 2017, Bangladesh also became one of the first countries to grant all of its rivers the same legal status as humans in August, 2019. River Magpie in Canada has also been recognised as a legal person in February, 2021.
Remarkably, the Earth Law Centre (ELC) based in the New York City had made a historic Universal Declaration of Rivers’ Rights (UDRR) on 29th September 2017. Like the declaration made, the Leimatak River in Manipur deserves the same legal rights which enshrined five fundamental rights such as Right to flow freely, Right to perform essential functions within its ecosystem, Right to be free from pollution, Right to native biodiversity and Right to restoration.
This implicates that any infringement on Leimatak River will be a serious violations too. Aforementioned rivers received legal status with the fact that rivers are significant to different communities on their cultural, social, economic and religious perspectives, so is the Leimatak River significant to the indigenous river based communities.
Factors ailing Leimatak River
It is saddening that the natural flow of Leimatak River was drastically changed ever since commissioning of the 105 MW Loktak Hydro-electric Project in May 1983. Water discharge from this project not only kills the natural flow of Leimatak River but also changed its pattern. Thousand years of tranquillity and cordial relationship between this river and river based communities were shattered when the Leimatak River became hostile due to rise and fall of its water level in the post Loktak project era.
The changed flow of this river has even claimed 5 precious lives in Taoshang Khunou, 3 in Thangal and still so many more which are not recorded. Frequent loss of animal doesn’t confined at a place but entire villages in the river range. Besides this, normal way of community fishing and collection of sand, stone, chips etc. from the Leimatak River becomes a risk.
Fate of Leimatak River in the wake of Twin dams
There has been acute apprehension of Leimatak River being completely damaged due to proposed twin dam over it. Like mentioned above, this river has already been maimed by the Loktak project long ago. The National Hydro-Power Corporations (NHPC) in hand with the Govt. of Manipur proposed to build the 66 MW Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Project (LDHP) at Taoshang Khunou village over 30 years back and 70 MW Nungleiband dam at Nungleiband village about 15 years back.
During August, 2020 the Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporations Ltd (LDHCL) has signed a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with the Manipur State Power Distribution Company Ltd (MSPDCL) for 66 MW Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Project. The PPA of 2020 was finalized as a result of long intense pressure from the NHPC. Even Meghalaya and Tripura state signed PPA on 19 and 20 June 2003 for purchase of power from the Loktak Downstream Project.
The 66 MW LDHP is proposed to build a 28 meters (94.36 fts) high barrage over the Leimatak River right at Taoshang Khunou village in Noney district. Estimated cost of the project was Rs. 867.77 crores in 2006, which was escalated to Rs. 1,250 crores in 2015 and the latest cost increased to Rs. 1391.65 crores in 2018. Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Corporations Ltd was constituted in September, 2008 as a partner of the NHPC.
While trying to build it, 211.50 hectares of forest and wet paddy fields will be diluted. Stage-I Forest Clearance was accorded on 3 March, 2011 without compliance of the conditions contained in the FRA, 2006. A Public Hearing for the LDHP was carried out on 7 June, 2011 at Longjang (Thangal) village in Noney district, Manipur. Environment Impacts Assessment (EIA) and Environment Management Plan (EMP) have not been disclosed to the affected villagers. As per the villagers of Taoshang Khunou, land survey was done in 1982 but agreement was signed only in 2020.
Still, there is another plan of building 70 MW Nungleiband dam at Nungleiband which is 25 km in the upstream portion of the Loktak Downstream project. As per the concerned villagers, the proposal of the dam was made fifteen years back. But surprisingly, nothing of the Detail Project Report (DPR), Detail Impacts Assessment (DIA), Rehabilitation & Resettlement (R&R) program and rate of land compensation etc. are opened to the villagers till date.
According to Village Secretary, satellite mapping for the Nungleiband dam was done in 2020. Land survey was carried out during April or May 2021. Public came to know only through news papers. It is being pursued without transparency and accountability and without Free and Prior Informed Consent (FPIC) of the concerned community people.
The affected Villagers of Taoshang filed a case before the Guwahati High Court against the steps taken by the state Govt. to resurvey land. The same was stayed by the High Court which led to suspension of the survey works for some time. The Citizen Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) on 15 December, 2017 condemned the plan to start the construction of the LDHP.
Community people of Nungleiband expressed serious concern on 21st November, 2021 regarding the possible loss of land, river and forest in the village because of the 70 MW Nungleiband dam. Moreover, the people of Taoshang Khunou village exposed apprehensions on 15th December, 2021 about the 66 MW LDHP as they were not properly informed of the details of the project and detail impacts assessment disclosed.
Conclusion
Aggressive push of building twin dam projects over the Leimatak is a bad news for ecology, environment concern, rights of the river based indigenous people over land, forest and river and their long sustainable living. Building the 66 MW LDHP and 70 MW Nungleiband dam over the same river will be another chapter of disaster environmentally and socially. It will also completely destroy the Leimatak River and close its history.
Further, it will give adverse impacts in the downstream portions even deteriorating the Irang River. Moreover, it will aggrandise the menace of ecological imbalance and issues of indigenous peoples survival caused by the Ithai Barrage of the 105 MW Loktak Project, disaster to the affected people by the Mapithel dam, livelihood disruptive in the Khuga dam area, life hardship caused due to Dolaithabi barrage, devastation of land and resource by Khoupum dam etc.
It is quite irrational to build double more dams in Leimatak River of Manipur because Manipur state is still chronic from the previous dams associated with wide controversies which are not healed. It is also contradictory state Govt. plans to build the dams while the world is exhaustively finding solution to curb the threat of climate change.
As per a journal of Biodiversity and Conservation in Washington 2019, large dams are harmful to environment with the concern that living species are so specific to their habitat, any disturbance that alters their environment can put them at risk of dying off. Dams are big agent to climate change due to its carbon and greenhouse emission enhancing global warming @25%.
It acts as a big factor of forest loss and also an agent to 48% loss of water and their hydro-ecological systems are affected by dam reservoirs. It is a proven fact that large dams are unviable in the seismic zone. Notably, NE region is under the most severe Seismic Zone V of India. Further, it is a bitter conclusion that dams damage indigenous lives and are not feasible in the backward region.
It is high time State Govt and dam building giants like NHPC review the plan of constructing 66 MW Loktak Downstream Hydroelectric Project and 70 MW Nungleiband dam project in the interest of protecting the inherent rights and free natural flow of Leimatak River in order to continue performing its ecosystem. Review the plan to build such dams so as to ensure sustainable living of the river based indigenous communities.
Let not the normal life of the affected villagers shatter in the name of development by damaging river, submerging land, forest, home-stead areas, animal grazing fields, loving ancestral homes and aged old settlement. Development plan at the cost of the indigenous land and resources is unjust and destructive more than upliftment. It is the need based development that is called for not through plundering land, river and resources.
Legally the Leimatak River should flow free without violating its fundamental rights. Environmentally, it deserves freedom to perform its own basic ecosystem. Socially and economically, the Leimatak River should move on unhindered so that the indigenous communities can enjoy its blessings through generations. Culturally, Leimatak River deserves to keep tiding so that people’s life depending on it can retain the aged long unbreakable chain of relationship.
Blockade of Leimatak River by building series of dams over it amounts to multiple violations and creating disaster in varied perspectives. There is a need of change the prospect of development from such unsustainable manner to people and environmental unfriendly system.
Speculating the whole perspectives and possible impacts of the twin dams, the Leimatak River is at high risk today. It is the responsibility of every citizen to uphold its legal rights. Undermining its significant roles shall be a huge loss. It is our bounden duty to ensure the Leimatak River render its invaluable services and perform its own natural ecosystem without retarding.
Concerning the significance of environmental, historical, social, cultural and long sustainability of the river based indigenous communities, the Leimatak River should run free and enjoy its own rights through generations without infringement.
* Jajo Themson wrote this article for e-pao.net
The writer is from Kamjong district, Manipur and can be reached at thmsontezonge(AT)gmail(DOT)com
This article was webcasted on December 20 2021.
Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur 