International Rivers Day- Impacts of construction of dams over rivers highlighted

The International Rivers Day was celebrated at Nungleiband Village in Noney district today under the theme 'Let us Protect our Rivers for Sustainable Development'.The celebration was jointly organised by the Centre for Research and Advocacy (CRA) Manipur in association with the Nungleiband Village Authority with an aim to foster the intrinsic relationship of indigenous communities with rivers, forest and land. 

Speaking on the occasion, Jiten Yumnam, secretary of CRA emphasized on the importance of rivers in sustaining the livelihood and cultures of indigenous people of Manipur and said that protecting the forest, land and fostering a sustainable development is key to protect the rivers. While expressing concern with the proposed plan to build Nungleiband Dam over the Leimatak river, the secretary of Lu Phuam Society, Pinjang Part IV, Ramthailiu Gangmei said that the Khoupum Dam in Tamenglong district lies defunct without providing any benefit to the people.

The discharge of water from Loktak Power Station of 105 MW Loktak Hydro Project on Leimatak river has affected fishing, collection of sand and livelihood dependence on the river including women's access to the river, he added. Other resource persons and environmentalist including Namshadai Kamei, member of Nungleiband Village Authority, environmentalists Themson Jajo, Gunrei and Dr Amarjit, Associate Professor, JNU highlighted the adverse impacts of construction of dams over important rivers in the State such as Leimatak, Thoubal, Irang, Barak etc without recognising the rights of the people and the importance of rivers.

The participants also affirmed to protect the rivers and to ensure the hindered flow of all rivers of Manipur and further urged the Government to revoke all memorandum of understanding (MoUs) to build large dams such as the 66 MW Loktak Downstream Project, 70 MW Nungleiband Dam etc and to de-commission the Ithai Barrage. They also appealed to the International Financial Institutions to stop financing dams like Loktak Downstream Project in Manipur, added the press release.