Manipur has very little number of dams. Amazingly we do not feel the need for constructing more dams in Manipur. Importance of Singda dam need not be stressed again and again. Had we not had this dam the entire Imphal area would have landed in a precarious situation without having drinking water? That situation had been averted with the construction of the dam. Chief Minister O. Ibobi has rightly praised the former leaders of the state, who constructed the dam. To save Manipur from landing in ugly situation in future it is time serious attention is paid in the construction of more dam to save water at source. A proper survey needs to be done without delay to identify the areas, where the dams of such nature can be constructed. Singda dam is facing threat to its survival by the dwellers at the side of the dam. Chief Minister O. Ibobi has given timely warning to evict the encroachers from the dam site. These dwellers are responsible for felling trees at the catchment areas. They have softened the surface of the hills by doing terrace cultivation. Naturally the soil becomes spongy and it absorbs water during the rainy season. Consequently the soil slides and runs towards the low lying areas. Prolonged siltation has raised the ground level of the dam reducing the water storage capacity. Now remedial measure is called for to save the dam. The concerned department must take it as a challenge to protect the dam. Coordination of all departments is called for. IFCD will find it handicapped to evict the encroachers. Chief Minister had also underlined the need for taking up a forestation programme at the catchment areas of the dam. Our jhumias are really a problem. They cannot grasp the harmful consequence that awaits when the forest wealth is damaged. All having said the matter will be forgotten once again and everything will return to square one. Concerned officials will not think of pursuing all that had been told to them by the highest authority of the land. Our bureaucrats, who have the habit of turning back even to their bosses will not think of doing anything. They plead the inability to check anything citing law and order as a factor. All these existing dams are really our precious possession given to us by the past. We have the bounded duty to protect all these dams be it Singda, Khuga or anything that is important to us. The world will not end with us. Let us think for the future. Let us work for them.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/importance-of-singda-dam-stressed/
