Imphal, Dec 16: The proposed extension of the Loktak Hydroelectric Power Project by the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) has been strongly condemned by the All Loktak Lake Areas Fishers Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM). It may be mentioned that the actual tenure of Loktak Hydro Electric Project is 35 years, however it has been executing in Manipur for the past 39 years.
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Calling it an arbitrary move, ALLAFUM condemned the NHPC for seeking approval from the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India to extend the Loktak Hydroelectric Power Project (Loktak Hydroelectric Multipurpose Project) for another 25 years without taking into confidence the concerns of Manipur Government and the thousands of fisher and farmer families affected by the Loktak hydro project since its commissioning in 1983.
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A press statement issued by Oinam Rajen Singh, Secretary of ALLAFUM on Saturday questions the motive of NHPC in not informing the Loktak Development Authority, the Manipur Government and the Loktak fishing community as primary stakeholders for placing before the Government of India on furthering the productivity lifespan of Loktak Project without first addressing four decades of ecological and human disasters due to the functioning of the man-made structure Ithai Barrage which has been the bone of contention between the project managers and the people of Manipur for nearly forty years now.
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The fishers union demands clarification from NHPC to the people of Manipur on how they propose to rehabilitate and resettle the thousands of human population impacted by the project, and how they propose to bring back the near natural status of the freshwater lake which is now termed as ‘ageing rapidly’ due to the human-led engineering intervention by the project managers.
Terming the Loktak Project ‘destructive’, ALLAFUM has made it clear that unless the NHPC clarifies on these issues, it cannot go ahead with its plans to lease new life to the project. Manipur people have suffered extensively because of this project and the lives of the lake dependent communities cannot be further exploited by the project for another two decades and more.
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The Loktak fishing community is suffering acutely from declining fish population in the lake and this is directly impacted by Ithai Barrage of the Loktak hydro project. Loktak is suffering from siltation, pollution and eutrophication, and the native vegetation of food and fodder value is fast disappearing from the lake. Loktak is suffering massive biodiversity loss because of the hydro project, the statement maintained.
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ALLAFUM has called upon the Government of Manipur to redress the grievances of the affected people before any move to further the Loktak hydro project is considered, or to allow NHPC to freely extend the project’s lifespan without taking the people’s concerns into confidence.
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