New Delhi,
October 13, 2010: The ongoing beautification efforts at Khuga Dam, aimed at
a potential inauguration by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on October 26, have
spurred the Joint Action Committee (JAC) into action. The Committee recently
travelled to the capital to meet with political leaders and has announced its
readiness to protest the inauguration unless all components of the dam are
fully completed and meet the satisfaction of the people of Churachandpur
district in Manipur.
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A three-member delegation from the JAC on the Khuga Dam Project arrived in New Delhi on October 5. The delegation comprises Rampana, Chairman of the JAC; Lalpu Hangshing, JAC Secretary; and Seipao Misao, Secretary of Kuki Inpi Churachandpur. On Tuesday, a consultation meeting was held at Mizoram House in Vasant Vihar, where the Committee engaged in in-depth discussions with various social organizations, civil societies, student bodies, and NGOs. The delegation is also expected to meet with Rahul Gandhi, General Secretary of the All India Congress Committee, on Wednesday. The JAC was formed on July 23, 2010.
The Khuga Dam Multipurpose Project is situated at
Mata village, approximately 10 kilometres from Lamka town in Churachandpur.
Construction began in 1983 with an initial sanction of Rs. 1.64 crore from the
Planning Commission of India. To date, the State Government has invested Rs.
350 crore in the project.
The dam is intended to provide 1.5 megawatts of
hydroelectric power, supply 5 million gallons of water, and support an
irrigation canal system covering 9,575 hectares, with the potential to create
15,000 hectares of annual irrigation in the Churachandpur and Bishnupur
districts.
However, Seipao Misao, Secretary of Kuki Inpi
Churachandpur, expressed grave concerns about the dam’s quality. He stated,
“Once the dam is inaugurated, the fate of our land is beyond imagination. The
dam has been built with sub-standard materials, and its construction has been
mismanaged. Some sections have already developed cracks, and the dam may not
last for many years. It could burst one day.”
Misao highlighted the risks to numerous villages
that could be devastated by the dam’s potential failure. The dam’s two main
canals — the Right Canal (Eastern
side) and Left Canal (Western side) —
pass through several villages. The Eastern
Canal traverses Saipum, M. Simol, Vengnomphai, Misao Lhahvom, Mualsan,
Mualpi, Mualkot, Sumtuhphai, Daijang, Ngurte, Tuikham, Thenmol, Tuibul, and
Mualbem villages, while the Western
Canal passes through Mata, Lhingshiphai, Nakhopai, Tualnuam, and
Thingkangphai villages. “These areas are at high risk, and many other villages
could also be washed away by the waters of Khuga Dam,” he added.
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In a tragic incident on December 14, 2005, villagers affected by the dam’s construction protested against the government. Police opened fire on the protestors, resulting in three deaths and over 25 injuries.
Rampana, Chairman of the JAC, questioned the
government’s claims about the project’s benefits. He remarked, “Though Khuga
Dam is expected to generate 1.5 MW of power, the Power House is now submerged.
The irrigation canal, which was supposed to irrigate 68 kilometres, barely
reaches one kilometre. Where is the truth in the government’s promises?”
The Public Health & Engineering Department
has constructed water reservoirs in Rengkai, New Lamka, Salem Veng, and
Thingkangphai. However, reports indicate that these reservoirs remain dry, with
not a single drop of water available.
Despite promises of compensation, resettlement,
and rehabilitation for affected villagers, none of these measures have been
fully implemented. As part of the rehabilitation policy, the government paid
Rs. 3,000 per family instead of the promised Rs. 30,000.
The Khuga Dam Local Contractor’s Association has
also demanded that the State Government release a pending bill of Rs. 16.02
crore.
JAC Secretary Lalpu Hangshing voiced frustrations
about restricted access to the dam site, stating, “We are not allowed to visit
the site by security personnel. Our fundamental rights are being suppressed by
the government.”
Rampana also criticized political leaders for
their inaction. “We have made numerous complaints and requests to politicians,
ministers, and MLAs, but our efforts have been in vain. Some even responded
with ‘Silence is Golden.’ We no longer trust the state, so we have come to
Delhi,” he said.
On Tuesday, leaders from various organizations, including the All Tribal Students Union Manipur, Kuki Students Organization, Zomi Students Federation, Hmar Students Association, Siamsinpawlpi (Paite Students Welfare Association), Sinlung Indigenous Peoples Human Rights Organization, Zomi Human Rights Foundation, Delhi Hmar Welfare Association, and Campaign for Peace & Democracy in Manipur, expressed their views and support for the affected people of Churachandpur.
The Sinlung Indigenous Peoples Human Rights
Organization has also recently protested against the proposed Tipaimukh Dam on
the Barak River in Manipur.
The Khuga Dam project has displaced thousands of
people, leaving them impoverished, hungry, and homeless. For the tribal
communities in Manipur, the word ‘dam’ has become synonymous with suffering and
despair.
