IMPHAL, March 16: The Committee on Natural Resources Protection in Manipur in a press statement has said that as part of the ongoing observation of the International Rivers Day Week March12-17, the Committee and the JAC for Protection of Hydrocarbons had a protest against the Tipaimukh Dam along the Barak River along Sibilong village today.
It said that the protesters protested with banners and placards reading “Let the Barak River Flow Free” and “No to Tipaimukh Dam construction”.
It said the Tipaimukh Dam is planned to be built over Barak River at Tipaimukh Village and the Ministry of Environment and Forest, Government of India granted environment clearances to construct the dam despite vehement opposition from affected communities in Manipur, Mizoram, Assam and further down in Bangladesh.
“Communities affected by the proposed Tipaimukh Dam have also opposed the ongoing move by the Govt of India and Govt of Bangladesh to find a compromise solution on Tipaimukh Dam and the non-exclusion of affected indigenous peoples of Manipur and other upstream and downstream regions in the negotiation process”, it said.
The statement continued that meetings and protest were held at Chakpi Karong against Chakpi River on March 12, at Loktak Lake on March 13 to stop eviction in Loktak Lake, to review the Loktak Protection Act, 2006 and to decommission the Ithai Barrage and to let the Manipur River flow free.
Protest rallies were also held along Thoubal River at Thoyee village to protest the ongoing Mapithel Dam construction and called for resumption of the Mapithel Dam construction, it said.
A State Level Convention on Dams Rivers and Peoples to be organized at Hotel Imphal will be the concluding event of the week long international rivers day celebration, it concluded.
