IMPHAL, April 8: The North East Dialogue Forum has said that large scale energy and infrastructure development projects in Manipur have failed to adhere to several International human rights and development standards.
According to a release of the forum, several energy projects and allied infrastructure projects are tacitly supported directly and indirectly with the financing of the International Financial Institutions in Manipur.
The Asian Development Bank is directly involved in Energy sector in power sector reforms and in preparing to finance several road infrastructures that will facilitate the construction of such large scale energy and allied infrastructure projects. The Asian Development Bank has several safeguard policies, which provides limited protection and safeguard for indigenous communities, wherever its projects are financed. The implementation of the energy sector related projects led to violations of several safeguard policies of these financial institutions.
ADB`s policy principles and scope of environmental safeguards focus on the commitment to technical assessment and mitigation measure to an emphasis on developing and implementing a Comprehensive Environmental Management Plan (EMP). The key elements of EMPs are mitigation measure, monitoring programs. cost estimate. budget etc.
The construction of Mapithel dam has been continuing for the last 30 years. This has caused much destruction of more than 100 hectares of forest land and agricultural land mainly at the Upstream. The blocking of ThoubaI River for completion of Mapithel dam led to complete drying of the river in downstream portion, with severe water shortages. There has been absence of strategic plan for mitigation, monitoring, budget etc and no participatory and holistic environment impact assessment which is a clear violation of these ADB policies.
The Asian Development Bank policy on indigenous people included recognition of Indigenous Peoples` cultural identity and rights to their ancestral lands and resources, fair sharing of development benefits among affected Indigenous Peoples communities and the rest of society and meaningful and culturally appropriate consultation with Indigenous Peoples communities in planning and implementing projects that are likely to affect their lives. India has the International Commitment to strictly follow this safeguard policy, it said.
However, the construction of Mapithel Dam violated all these safeguard policy. There is no any mechanism for fair share of the benefit of the dam. Indigenous Peoples safeguards 20 conclude that the policy is relevant to ADS and its borrowers/clients like Govt. of India and Manipur. There is no effort to respect the right to free, prior and informed consent of indigenous peoples. The call for resumption of expert review committee by affected communities to fully assess the implications of Mapithel dam has not been responded favorably by Government of Manipur, it said.
ADB`™s policy on Involuntary Resettlement stated that ADS-financed projects need to avoid or mitigate any adverse impacts which has largely been a result of Implementation of resettlement plans and environmental management plans. ADS recommended to integrate Indigenous Peoples` issues in resettlement plans where risks to Indigenous Peoples are primarily related to resettlement or to environmental damage, develop a plan for implementing the safeguard policy on Indigenous Peoples. However, the dam is fraught with multiple violations concerning the rehabilitation and resettlement. The first agreement in 1993 was violated. It was agreed that payment or land compensation was to be made in two installments i.e. 1993-94 and 1994-95 but was started only in 1996. Interest to be paid for not fulfilling the agreed terms @12% is ignored and final payment to 94 land owners is not done till date, it said.
The objectives of ADS`s safeguards are to avoid adverse impacts of projects on the environment and affected people, minimize and/or compensate for adverse project impacts on the environment and affected people when avoidance is not possible and help borrowers/clients to strengthen their safeguard systems and develop the capacity to manage environmental and social risks. ADS`s SPS sets out the policy objectives, scope and triggers and principles for three key safeguard areas which are environmental safeguards, involuntary resettlement safeguards and Indigenous Peoples safeguards.
Given the multiple violations, ADS should not finance all energy and infrastructure projects which has failed to comply with its safeguard policy statement and other human rights standards, in particular the U Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, it said.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/04/large-scale-energy-and-infrastructure-development-projects-flop-nedf/