“Ithai barrage opening has brought hardship to the people”

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Nov 27

The sudden opening of Ithai barrage on July 22, because of the flood caused by Imphal river, led to caving of many land portions with cracks appearing in many places as well in Wabagai and Mayang Imphal areas, said Md Riyazuddin Aribam speaking to reporters during an inspection tour.

Riyazuddin is the chief advisor of Samaj, a social media (Whatsapp) group. He went to allege that the opening of Ithai barrage by Ithai Barrage Committee was done without any consultations with the locals of Wabagai area, he alleged.

He maintained that it had brought total damage to the roads, houses, affected community halls, schools and so on creating problems for the public.

The villages that the team visited were Sekmaijing to Irom passing through Hangul, Santhel, Uchiwa, Heibung Makhong, and Maibam.

Md Razauddin, secretary of the group said that it was all because of Ithai barrage that people have to face such turmoil and difficulties. “We want the Ithai barrage committee working under National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) to leave the soil of Manipur,” he said.

Let the indigenous people, flora and fauna and other natural resources be safeguarded from the hands of NHPC, he asserted. 

“We have voiced many times before about this case but the authority concerned and government have not paid heed,” he pointed out.

Islamuddin, who is one of the residents of the area, said that public are not satisfied with Ithai barrage. Since its commission in 1980, Ithai barrage and its committee have failed the people and disadvantages have outweighed the advantages.

All the promises that were made before the commissioning were not fulfilled and the compensation for 80,000 hectares is not received till today. Besides no proper irrigation system, the promised light bill for 30 paise per unit is never fulfilled, he alleged.

He continued that government not taking any action is condemnable and if the government did not hear their demands, soon there will be people’s movement for removal of Ithai barrage from the state.

On the other hand the road connecting Sekmaijing to Maibam under Imphal West district, which is to be completed by October 2017 under PMGSY scheme, is far from being completed but rather it is in a very bad condition without any sign of betterment.

The project was taken by HVS Construction Private Limited and has withdrawn Rs.1, 35, 00,000 so far but did almost nothing even if the completion dateline is over.

The Samaj team was accompanied by IFCD, PHED and PWD and CSOs, Irong Chesaba Development Forum (ICDF), Youth Developemnt Committee (YDC) and All Manipur Muslim Organisation Co-Ordinating Committee (AMMOCOC).