UKHRUL, July 26 : Participants from the Mapithel Dam affected villages during an environment awareness campaign on Mapithel valley today called for the need of forest and environment protection in the area saying the undergoing Mapithel Dam construction has no environment and forest clearance.
A one-day awareness campaign on Mapitheel valley was held at Thoyee village, Ukhrul district. It was jointly organised by Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organisation (MDAVO), Committee on Protection of Natural Resources, Manipur (CPNaRM) and Centre for Research and Advocacy (CRA). The programme was held under the theme “Save our Agriculture Land, Protect our Forest and Environment and Let Yangwui Kong (Thoubal River) Flow Free.”
Representatives from Mapithel Dam affected villages like Chadong, Ramrei, Riha and Thoyee took part in the campaign.
All the speakers during the programme emphasized on the need for forest and environment protection, saying there is no environment and forest clearance on Mapithel Dam which is going to give adverse impact on the villagers.
They said 595 ha of forest land area is to be reserved for the project for which the land owners have no any knowledge and at the same time, the catchment area treatment plant has not been revised for which directive was served by the Central Government to Manipur Government.
The Environment Impact Assessment report submitted by Manipur Government to the Central Government in 2007 was closed by the latter for want of detailed information on the environment aspect and environmental action plan, the speakers added.
They said, on the other hand, the state Government has persistently put pressure towards completion of the project that is target to commission in March 2015.
Mapithel Dam affected villages have been demanding for initial forest clearance as well as their proper rehabilitation and resettlement programme.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/mapithel-dam-affected-people-organises-campaign/
