Civil bodies want Loktak project reviewed

IMPHAL | Aug 5

Civil bodies urged the state government to review the 105 megawatt Loktak project and to take appropriate steps to decommissioning Ithai barrage at the earliest. The civil bodies are The Loktak Project Affected Area Action Committee, Committee on Human Rights Manipur (COHR), Centre for Research and Advocacy Manipur (CRAM) and Irabot Foundation Manipur (IFM).

Speaking to media persons today at Manipur Press Club, Imphal, CRAM secretary, Jiten Yumnam said that the absence of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) and state government on the operation of the Loktak project which was commissioned way back in 1984 is a matter of serious concern.

The non-existence of the MoU on the project has been confirmed by the NHPC on May 9, 2017 after filing a RTI application by one Joy Haobijam, whose land was submerged and affected by the project, he added.

The secretary said that, “it is very unfortunate that the NHPC has been given a complete free hand without any monitoring or regulation by the state government.”

He claimed that the project is responsible for the recurrent floods in the state and has destroyed more than 50 thousand hectors of agriculture land. But NHPC refuses to take responsibility for such loss of properties during flood and land submerged, he added.

Moreover the project is responsible for the continued suffering of fishermen by implementing the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection, Act 2006, continued Jiten.

The civil bodies asked the state government to urge upon the NHPC to take responsibility and accountability for the sufferings unleashed and for the environment devastation caused in Loktak lake.

The bodies further asked the state government to repeal Manipur Loktak Lake Protection, Act 2006 to recognise the rights and role of fishing community and to uphold the true spirit of Ramsar conventions.