IMPHAL, September 30: The Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD) and Committee on the Protection of Natural Resources in Manipur (CPNRM) have come out strongly against the Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), Government of Manipur for failing to take final ‘’Forest Clearance’’ for constructing Mapithel Dam of the Thoubal Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project even as November 2013 and March 2015 already set to commence filling up Mapithel Dam reservoir and for the completion of the mega multipurpose project respectively.
In a statement, the bodies said the construction of Mapithel Dam is still fraught with an absence of a detailed impact assessment on communities with their rightful participation especially impacts on forest land and other livelihood sources and further down in the downstream portion of Thoubal River.
It added that the claim of completion of Rehabilitation and Resettlement for the Mapithel Dam affected villages by the project authorities has been simply irrational as a detailed impact is still absent.
Further, it requested the IFCD, Government of Manipur to stop the construction of Mapithel Dam before obtaining the final forest clearance and make detailed assessment of forest land affected by the dam with the participation of all affected communities.
