The Thoubal River Valley Multipurpose project, now known as Mapithel Dam, is a mega dam. The project is implemented in Mapithel area in Phungyar subdivision of Ukhrul district targeting to irrigate 21,000 hectares of cultivable land besides giving 10 million gallons of drinking water every day and supply 7.5 MW of power. It is one of the biggest dams in the North-East India. It is 66 meter high and 1034 meter long. The main purpose of the project is to utilize the water resource of the Yangwui Kong (Local name) river which originates in the western hill slopes of Shiroi Hills and Hoomi in the Ukhrul District. Both the rivers joined at Lamlang village, flowing through the Thoubal District before joining the Imphal River at Irong Ichil.
The project has been undertaken by the Government of Manipur’s Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD), with assistance from the central government. Construction began in 1989 (although it was first proposed in the early part of 1970s), amidst heavy protests from those to be affected by the dam. No free, prior and informed consent was sought from those to be displaced by the dam, nor were the procedures mandated by India’s Land Acquisition Act followed.
The Mapithel Dam will submerge huge tract of prime agricultural lands along the Thoubal River that would affect the livelihood of the people of Thoubal River, such as Tumukhong, Itham, Moirangpurel, Laikhong, and Saichang and other nearby villages.
In 1990, the Mapithel Dam Affected Villages Organisation (MDAVO) was formed, mostly by villages that fell within the submergence area. Downstream villages in the valley that would be affected by the changed river flow were as yet not a part of the struggle. At this time MDAVO also did not have the support of all the villages to be submerged. However, in 2008, these villages formed the Mapithel Dam Affected Ching-Tam (hill-valley) Organisation (MDACTO), bringing together even those who had at first cooperated with the project authorities. The eventual resistance of these villages after 28 years of approval underlines the failure of the state to address the concerns of affected communities.
MDAVO has been demanding appropriate and equitable compensations to be given according to the reports of the Expert Review Committee, set up on 18th January 2008 with the Commissioner of Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) as its chairman, to examine the review of R&R programme of the affected villages.
Asserting that the Thoubal River Valley Multipurpose project (Mapithel Dam) has little benefit for the indigenous people of the State particularly those affected most, three more bodies namely, CORE, FIPA and UPFM have recommended that the Expert Review Committee set up by the State Govt in 2008 should be resumed with the full participation of the State Govt and such recommendations from an expert body should be complied with for peaceful and acceptable resolution of the issue and compensation under the R&R packages.
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