IMPHAL, March 18: The government of India is planning to construct more than 200 mega dam across the North Eastern State and a series of memorandums of understanding, MoU, were sign with dam Building Corporation without any recognizing indigenous peoples or their traditional rights over their land and resources and without their consent said Rev. PBM Bosariewmoit as a representative of Meghalaya today at Youth Hostel Khuman Lampak.
The press meet was organised by North East Dialogue Forum on the issue of Tipaimukh, Dimur, Lower Subansiri and Dibang Dam.
Bosariewmoit further said North East regions are hilly areas and in the consideration of the possible boost in prospects of traditional farming through these mega dams, and the energy they can generate, the government has forgotten to think of the people who eke out their livelihoods from the rivers which will be dammed.
He also said that the plan to construction dams will lead to complete destruction of the rich biodiversity of NE regions, besides it will displace several thousand of indigenous peoples across the region.
However in developed countries, focus on windmills or solar energy as alternatives to constructing dams for energy production is gaining ascendency he said. In India, government only thinks to construct dams by force he added.
Assam representative Ms. Hema Das said that 2000 MW of Lower Subansiri Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project, the 2700 MW Lower Demwe HEP Project and 3000 MW Lower Saing HEP project will lead to widespread impacts in both upstream and downstream areas of both Arunachal Pradesh and Assam.
Manipur representative Jiten Yumnam said that the 1500 MW Tipaimukh Multipurpose Hydroelectric Project has been pursued, ignoring the concerns raised by affected communities. He said the Ministry of Environment and Forest, GoI conceded fraudulent `Environment and Forest Clearances` for these mega dams based on faulty information furnished by dam builders.
He further said that these mega dams are pursued in violation of indigenous peoples`™, human rights and the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams 2000.
He also said that the Ithai Barrage 105 MW Loktak Multipurpose Project and the Mapithel Dam also affecting the livelihood of the people who live in their basins.
The pursuance of mega dams across North East is despite the failure and underperforming of previously commissioned dams such as Khoupum Dam, Khuga Dam, Singda Dam etc in Manipur. Likewise the Dumbur Dam of Tripura is still lying non functional though still submerging a huge portion of community lands and resources he said.
Jiten Yumanm also asserted that all the MoUs sign by the Government of India across North East with dam building companies should be revoked and all the policies such as the Manipur Hydro Power Policy 2012 which focus on promotion of mega dams over rivers, need to be revoked.
He further said that the performance of previously failed and underperforming dams should be assessed and all non performing mega dams should be decommissioned. However the militarization in the name of development should be stopped in North East as well as the human rights of all indigenous peoples as outlined in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, 2007 and the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams 2000 should be respected, he added.
In all 29 delegates from seven North East States participate in the meet and they also pledged solidarity to the victims of the 1984 firing incident at Heirangoithong Volleyball ground by lighting candles at the memorial site in the evening at about 6.30 pm.