Mizoram football fan dies in Silchar

Tribal residents take a boat-ride just near the proposed Tipaimukh dam site on the confluence of Tuivai and Tuiruong (Barak) rivers. Pic:- Hmarram.com

By R. S. Jassal, (Commdt rtd) & K.A Singh (Lt. Col. retd).

In a democratic state like ours, everyone has the liberty of expressing his or her views on any issue concerning the state and its people. However, no one has the liberty to mislead and confuse the public by spreading wrong information, feeding unverified facts and figures. We appreciate the concern shown by members of the Citizens Concerned for Dams & Development, Action Against Tipaimukh Dam and Zeliangrong Naga Union, Hmar Students Union and few other Anti-Dam lobbyists. Everyone in Manipur is a stakeholder in any developmental project to be taken up by the Government and everyone is equally concerned to the merits and demerits of such projects.

But, no one should tolerate lies, concocted facts, hypothetical presumptions and lopsided views.

The so-called “Open Debate” sponsored by the anti-dam lobbyists few weeks ago was nothing but anti-dam outbursts with concocted facts, absurd hypothetical theories to mislead and misinform the simple and ignorant people. There was nothing open about the debate and not a single speaker has pointed out about the positive aspects of the proposed project which has the annual generating capacity of 3895.14 GWH of power, which is worth more than Rs. 1168.5 crores per year at Rs. 3/- per unit and provide job opportunities to our people, facilitate inland water transportation in 375 Km long waterways in our underdeveloped and least accessible region, and has the potential of developing reservoir fishery etc. We are bound to respect the scholars and experts as long as they give their views accurately on their subject without any adulterations or bias. When scholars start claiming their authority in every subject with partisan statements, it is the time to remind them what they know in their own subjects may even be inadequate. Hydropower projects are multi dimensional projects involving varied fields like hydrology, civil and electrical engineering, geology, seismology, environment and ecology etc. Without in depth studies in these fields, no mega project like Tipaimukh multipurpose project could proceed. At least 47 such expert teams have studied the upstream and the downstream of the proposed Dam Site in the last 30 years for the preparation of the Detailed Project Report. The team from the Central Water Commission spent more than 10 years measuring the flow of the Barak River at different points to study the hydrology of the River. So many other teams did their investigations. I met some of these teams and members myself during reconnaissance of the region in 1983 and three month long the Barak Expedition in 1985. If our own Manipuri experts consider the views expressed by these expert teams totally wrong, and they have their own investigations carried out, anyone would be ready to welcome their correct investigation reports. Perhaps all investigations may not be 100% correct. But you cannot completely reject all. Merely lecturing innocent people the hypothetical conclusions arrived at by reading World Commission on Dams and views of those with preconceived ideas to oppose anything that the Government of India or Government of Manipur decide for the welfare and larger interests of the country will certainly have much larger negative impacts on our people, worse than the ecological and social impacts of this project. Our people need to know the unadulterated facts and should not be emotionally provoked by the irrational views and theories propounded by some self- acclaimed experts; some of us are not an expert and have no pretensions to claim as such. As a rational being, we may at least be considered to posses the ability disseminate information collected by experts from various sources and identify the fake experts from the real experts and give our views. We can tell at least, what is black, what is grey and what is white after having seen with own eyes. No expert can force us to believe what is black as white because he wants us to believe that way. Let us examine some of the irrational outbursts of our so-called experts who have so many imaginary fears projected to the common people. Let us take one by one some of the gross misinformation campaigns undertaken by the anti-dam experts. We will not indulge in responding to some of ridiculous outbursts which do not deserve for discussion in public.

Antecedents & Present Status of The Project

It is absolutely ridiculous to reject a developmental project on the ground that Tipaimukh Dam Project was muted more than 90 years ago but has not been implemented so far. Morever, Tipaimukh Dam was never conceived 90 years ago. The fact is that Central Water and Power Commission conceived the idea of harnessing the Barak to moderate flood ravages in Surma Valley by investigating three possible sites at Naraindhar, Mainadhar and Bhubandhar between 1954 to. 1965. However, these sites were rejected by the Government of India mainly due to large-scale submergence of cultivable land in Cathar District for which the dam was conceived the these sites do not contribute much in flood moderation. The actual investigation works of the Tipaimukh project started by CWC in 1977, which was later, handed over to Brabmaputra Board. It was only in 1988 that Brahmaputra Board submitted its report to take up the project in two phases of flood moderation and later for power generation. The project was revised in 1994 but Manipur Government opposed the Darn and the Project was kept in abeyance. It was only in 1998 that Manipur Government expressed its willingness for execution of the project as a hydroelectric project. Some people are tying to paint the history of this Project as an intrigue of the Central Government towards the people of Manipur by telling people that, the issue is 90 years old and rejected many times earlier and should be rejected now. The logic that a concept once rejected due to lack of understanding should be rejected forever is not understandable.

Another absurd and irrational presumption is the conspiracy theory about the renaming of flood control to power project and handing over from Brahmaputra Board to NEEPCO. Anti Dam people are saying that the Central Government manipulated the flood moderation dam by renaming it as Power Project and handing over to NEEPCO. Everyone knows that Brabmaputra Board is basically responsible for Flood Control and not for Power Generation. It is natural for NEEPCO or NHPC to take over the project as the priority is now power generation and flood control being the secondary benefit.

Power Generation

Repeatedly, the Anti Darn Lobbyists are telling lies about the Power Generation of 1500 MW and Firm Power of 404.44 MW. They are telling people that this project will generate only about 405 MW and Manipur will get only 43 MW of free power. Yes, during lean season the minimum power expected (Firm Power) is only 404.44 MW as per the Earlier DPR. However, when the reservoir is full, the project is designed to generate 1500 MW. During monsoon period from June to October, there is no reason why it should not generate 1500 MW. The question of under-performance as well as over-performance of hydroelectric projects cannot be ruled out as the natural forces are totally unpredictable and it is the application thumb rule to arrive at such conclusions. We also agree with the anti-dam experts on one point that the Annual Power Generation is too low considering the large catchments area, Large storage area( reservoir) and heavy rainfall. Not even 30% of the annual rainfall (annual run-off) which is the annual source of power is to be utilized in the present design. Let us hope that nature is kind enough to prove the theoretical conclusions of our hydrologists wrong on the better side and annual power generation is higher than expected. If required Government of Manipur should intervene and ask NEEPCO to redesign the Dam to at least harness 50% of the annual run-off without affecting flood moderation design. Why should NEEPCO have 136 mtrs height as head for the two power tunnels?. Is not it possible to have two or three sets of power tunnels at different heights to optimise power generation. Any gain in extra power generation will be gain for everyone and those who are opposing the project may even agree to the darn if the power generation is increased.

Leaving aside Installed Power Generation and Firm Power, which are the two extremes of power generation of the Hyde] Power proj ects, we are more interested in Annual Energy Generation of the Project, which is worked out around 3895 GWH. This is the average annual yield of the proposed project when the power wifi be theoretically generating between 1500 MW at the maximum and 435 MW at the minimum. Of course the reservoir level will fluctuate between 175 metres during rainy season and 135 metres during lean season and power generation will also fluctuate accordingly depending on the rainfall pattern. Recently, Central Water Commission has carried out Reservoir Simulation Studies for the revised DPR and with the additional water flow from Loktak Project, the Firm Power is being revised to 435 MW and annual energy generation is expected to be increased substantially. Those people who do not know what is firm power should not start lecturing the people the wrong subject.
Submersion

Wild charges are made about the submersion area in Manipur. In the recent so called ‘OPEN DEBATE’ which was more or less wild allegations by the anti dam protesters to sabotage the project, certain speakers have claimed that one third of Manipur is being submerged. At 180 metres Max Flood Level, area to be submerged in Manipur is 293.56 sq km. Since the maximum reservoir level to be maintained at 175 meters to ensure maximum power generation as well as flood moderation downstream, the submersion area is around 273 sq krns in Manipur. Out of total area of 22,327 sq km of Manipur, it will be 1.31 % of the total area of the state and cannot be one third of Manipur. During lean season, the Reservoir level will be reduced to around 136 metres and the submerged area will be much lesser and may be around 1 70 sq Km only. Thus, 170 sq Km will be permanently submerged and area above that will be submerged from time to time depending on the rainfall as well as the manner of the operation of the dam. Some experts’ contention that 15 metres above the submerged area will also become un-usable because of capillary action of standing water is without any foundation, If that is the case, almost the entire Manipur Valley will become unusable because of the Loktak reservoir. The most of areas of Manipur Valley districts of Manipur are below 15 metres above the level of Loktak Lake. We find maximum paddy fields in Manipur within five metres above the Lake. No such case has been reported in any of the 4000 large reservoirs constructed in the country. If any such data is available with any scholars, we must forward the same to the Central Water Commission for claiming additional compensation to our state. Some speakers are claiming that more than 7800 sq Kms will be renderedunusab1e by the Project.

Another question of Submersion of Zielad Lakes in Tausem Sub Division is ridiculous. Zielad Lakes are located above 230 metres above sea level. Even the famous Barak Falls will be visible as it is during lean season as the first waterfall is above 160 metres. Even today, the waterfall and other prominent rock relic are submerged during monsoon period and visible only during Lean season. The exposed Rongmei rock relic near Tajijang and Vamgaijang are also seen only during lean season and it will remain visible even after the construction of the dam during lean season. NEEPCO has promised to develop a Tourism Centre for the Barak Falls, Zeilad Lakes and Rongmei historical relic rocks at the project costs. We should requests NEEPCO to provide the bests facilities in this Tourism Centre so that this beautiful waterfall and lakes could attract world class tourists.

Wild charges are also made about the submersion of orange ochards of Tamenglong District. Oranges are grown mainly in and around Tamei and Thangal villages, which are far away and much higher places from the reservoir area. I have travelled the entire length of the Barak from Liyai Khunou to Jirimukh and have not seen any orange orchard below 300 metres above sea level. There is no question of Tamenglong Orange Festival affected by the dam. If anybody has seen any orange orchard in the proposed reservoir area, we should compel the project authority to create an orange ochard ten times the size of the odhard as compensation.

Decision Making Process

In the decision making process for the development of any region, we need to focus our considerations at the global, national, regional and local aspects. Merely because some people do not want the dam to be constructed should not decide our fUture plans. We have the Planning Commission, Central Water Commission, Central Electricity Authority, Central and State Pollution Control Boards, Ministry of Environment and Ecology and finally the elected central and state governments to plan and mobilise our natural and human resources and decide implementation of development projects for the welfare and larger interests of the country. It is impossible to include each and everyone in the decision making process which will only complicate the related issues and result in interminable, unproductive debates. There is public hearing with the directly affected people before the project is implemented, and affected people will be heard. Everyone is not an expert in every field, and views of the best experts on the concerned subject should be considered. If we have any credited experts among the opponents of this project, every rational citizen should be ready to accept his or her views. But, it should not be merely obstructionist theories propagated by developed countries that have maximum number of large dams, and telling others not to construct dams. Once, we have given the mandate to the elected representatives, it is their responsibility to decide keeping in view the valid findings of the experts and for the greater public interests. I really doubt that each and everyone whose buildings were demolished for the widening of NH 39 from Moirangkhom to Singjamei were happy and willingly agreed to the Government proposal for the greater interests of the people. I don’t think the Government of Manipur requires the permission of the affected people, or consultation with the relative or supporters of the building owners. Yes, the Government has to compesale their losses. My sympathy is with them and I appreciate their sacrifice for sake of the state. We must have sympathy for those who are to be directly affected with this Project should demand their adequate compensation and proper rehabilitation. But, if you insist to obtain permission to implement the project from the very people who are to be uprooted by the project and also insist to consult those people who are ever ready to incite such unfortunate project affected people, no developmental project could be implemented trouble free. If everyone is to be involved in the decision making process, even the best developmental projects May not take-off. We should understand that in spite of objections, obstructions, interferences by the selfish developed countries and overenthusiastic NGOs over 160 large dams are commissioned every year in the world and there are more than 45,000 large dams in the world.

All those suggestions given by the World Commission of Dams, the so called right and risks approach, stakeholders participation in decision making are all Un- practicable suggestions so that debates on dams become interminable and the cost of decision making becomes costlier to offset the economic viability of any project. USA, with a population of 29 crores, have constructed more than 6375 large Dams, have already stockpiled nuclear arsenals and are preaching developing countries the sermons not to develop because dams are harmful to ecology and nuclear programmes are threat to world peace. No intellectual with self-respect should blindly follow such selfish sermons. We cannot say that all large daths are bad because some large dams are ill planned and badly operated elsewhere in the world. Aswan High Dam has changed Egypt from a backward desert country to a developed modern state, Bhakra-Nangal Dams have changed the rural Punjab and Haryana to a highly prosperous states feeding almost half the country through i,rrigation by this dam and have become highly industrialised states with the electricity provided by this dam. The water of this dam has turned Ganganagar and Bikanir, the two desert districts of Rajasthan green through Indira Gandhi Lift Canal. This dam is nearly half a century old We should know that almost all the Asian countries including India and China and developing countries in other continents have rejected the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams. Of course, Japan, a small country having 13 crore population but having more than 2475 large dams, having no other technically feasible water resources project available has gladly endorsed the recommendations of the World Commission on Dams. If any suggestion for better alternative to Dams to alleviate the poverty of our state, open avenues for employment generation to our ever increasing educated unemployed youths anyone would be willing to accept such alternative projects. If you have no viable alternative for development, why not accept what is available option. Today, the expectations of the people. from the elected governments are very high. Internal threat from our own impoverished, deprived and discontent citizens are looming larger than external threat from foreign aggressions. Poverty is the worst enemy for environment and ecology. Because our tribal brothers inhabiting the Barak Basin are extremely poor and they have no other alternative but to resort to Jhooming for survival, unwittingly had to overexploite once impenetrable forest into degraded wastelands. Dam or no dam our forests have no future. People will laugh at us if we show the world the conditions of our reserve forests. You don’t have to go far to see the conditions of our reserve forests. Langol Hills, Nongmaij ing Hills are next to lmphal as the bests examples of reserved forests on paper. When our Forest Department cannot protect Langol Hills and Nongmaijing Hills Reserved Forests next to the capital city, you cannot expect to protect Jrangmukh and Tolbung Reserve Forests in the remote Barak Basin. Our state is officially losing more than 158 sq Kms of forests every year. The alternative is to give our brothers in the hills better tools for survival rather than depending entirely on the forests for food and domestic energy requirements. Horticulture, terrace cultivations, cash crop plantations should replace jhooming. But it is only possible when the interior region becomes accessible. Fortunately, the proposed project will provide 370 kms long waterways connecting five most inaccessible subdivisions of Manipur, namely Tausem, Tamenglong, Nungba, Parbung and Thanlon. It will even connect Mizoram. I don’t think anyone can impose complete blockade or bandhs in this waterway.
Seismic Considerations

We appreciate the seismic worries of our Manipuri scholars. But I fail to understand why are they silent on the same subject for Turial Project which is under construction in Mizoram only 15 Kms away from Tipaimukh Dam Site and what about Loktak Downstream and Tuivai Projects which are also within 50 kins of Tipaimukh Dam axis and waiting their turns. Doyang Project in Nagaland is already commissioned and another Dikhow Project is on the way. There are seven large darns coming up in Arunachal and Ranganadi project already commissioned and Kameng Project under construction. Bangladesh has Kaptai Dam Commissioned in the Chittagong Hills. Sikkim has Teesta Project nearly completed. All these dams are near the edge of tectonic plates as in the case of Tipaimukh Dam. Are all these Dams exempted by almighty nature and only Tipaimukh is the chosen candidate for the tectonic disaster? Have they studied the seismological impacts of 2675 large dams in Japan, the country having a long history of seismic and volcanic disasters? The hypothetical theories of dam-induced earthquakes have not so far been proved scientifically. Nowadays, we hear less number of earthquakes in Japan probably more than 2,675 large dams have stabilise the tectonic plates in the Pacific Ring of fire in Japan. You don’t have to stop construction of buildings because many people are killed by earthquakes. You have to construct buildings, which could withstand the probable intensity of the quake. Seismic parameters should be implemented in the design of the Dam, that is what common people like me can suggests. Seismic worries nearly stopped the Bhakra Nangal Dam which also is in an area of earthquake zone where two tectonic plates meet. But we must have faith in our engineers who have constructed more than 4000 large dams in India and nothing serious has happened so far.
Are all Manipuris are anti Dam?

The recent Open Debate of the anti Dam People wanted paint a wrong picture that all Manipuris are anti dam. They must understand that there have been so many Memoranda submitted by different groups of people for the speedy implementation of this project. The Senior Citizens for Society, Manipur, Kuki Inpi, KSA and Tipaimukh Dam Demand Committee are some of the few examples. There are many prominent Manipuri scholars and journalists who are in favour of the project. We cannot compel everyone to tow the line of our views. But there should be sanity in our decision- making. No civilised state should allow every issue to be decided the size of the mob in the street. Rather we must examine all aspects both positive and negative. Everyone should welcome constructive criticism with correct information.

Implementation of Tipaimukh Project was the promise to the people of Manipur, by SPF Government, in their Manifestos in the last Election. They got the mandate of the people and should keep their promise. I don’t think the Congress party and their allies in Manipur Government will now be against this project.

We know some people are working overtime to convert innocent people to their anti dam cult. We appreciate their efforts as even some of our intellectuals have been brainwashed and converted too. Some of them have even gone to the foreign countries to mobilise support against the Central Government Policy. I consider this as anti- national.

Ancestral lands and the rights of the indigenous people?

It is very easy to incite people and create problems by harping on emotional issues like ancestral lands and the rights of the indigerious people. Does it mean to say that Manipur Valley having been the ancestral lands of the Meiteis will not tolerate any other ethnic groups or will not allow the government to implement any programme or policies except for the benefit of the Meitei Community? Does it mean that our tribal brothers who have settled down in the valley for more than a century would be forced to go back to their ancestral lands because some irrational fanatic Meiteis wants to claim the valley on the same line? Does it mean that so many lakhs of Meitei Community outside Manipur with some even in foreign countries should come back to
Manipur because some indigenous people claim that it is their ancestral land and
Meiteis are alien there? Does it mean to say that Government of India and Manipur Government have no authority to plan anything for the common benefit of its people because few indigenous people do not like the idea implemented in their ancestral land? If you have no respect for the constitutionally elected government, Government has also the right and duty to enforce the constitutional laws. You can express your views, that is your right, but you cannot impose your will on others or to the Government. Ultimately, it is the Government prerogative to decide irrespective of the views of individuals or groups for the larger interests of the people. We will not allow the government to develop our country because it is our ancestral land is an archaic logic. Yes, for larger public interests the government decision is affecting the property and livelihood of some people they must be compensated adequately for their loss of property and rehabilitated for alternative livelihood. But, we cannot force the Government to abandon a project because of few affected people and some people wants instant stardom by iciting them, even if it is going to benefit much larger section of the society. Medha Patkar with the support of foreign funds is faking serious concern for rehabilitation of 15,000 dam affected people and does not bother for more than 3.5 crores of people without proper drinking water, electricity and water to irrigate their farmlands. She may be right.for those 15,000 people but has no right to deprive those 3.5 crores of people downstream, the basic minimum services which any Government is duty bound to provide. That is how the Supreme Court has overruled all her objections.

We cannot forget that so many people in the Barak Valley in Assam have died due to floods, their cattle perished, houses destroyed, their farmlands inundated. So many crones of rupies have been spent on flood control. Annual losses in Govermnent properties due to floods are more than Rs.30 crores in the Barak Valley. With the losses suffered by helpless public, it will be more than 100 crores annually. Further, vast areas of arable land remain submerged due to water logging. For larger interests of the region, we need to sacrifice to some extent. Because it is our ancestral land, we will do. whatever we want: vandalise our forest for commercial gains, burn vast areas bill slopes for jhooming and cause flash flood downstream may not be the right logic. One fine day, the affected people downstream also may decide to do whatever they want in their ancestral land and block our second lifeline which may even become our first lifeline once the railway project is complete. That is exactly what the enemies of Manipur want. Isolate Manipur, block all the lifelines and make it kneel on its knees. Then, our learned friends will forget about the World Commission on Dams, the rights of the indigenous people and all the nonsense unrealistic campaigns and run away from the ground realities and seek means of survival in this already threatened social fabric of this state. Let us not complicate the issues and give support to the Central and State Governments efforts to harness whatever little resources we have in the form of water resources and try to improve the pathetic conditions of our economy. If you want to get something, you have to forego something. Stop inciting people with wild charges. The Central Government, State Government, the NEEPCO are performing their constitutional functions and have no time to indulge in conspiracy. Rather, we should worry for the enemies of Manipur, who wants to keep the people deprived and discontent and destabilise the nation. Rather, it is time for introspection, do something for our tribal brothers in the interior hill areas who are still living in the primitive conditions with the primitive way of life.

We understand that Government cannot construct roads everywhere, provide employment to all, establish schools and colleges in all villages. Our hill villages are so small that even if you have roads and schbols these will be without sufficient users to warrant its maintenance. The solution is to encourage grouping of villages for planned and sustainable development so that all basic minimum services could be provided to a viable population of small towns. The rehabilitation package in this project is an opportunity to modernise our primitive tribal villages. Even without Tipaimukh project, there is a requirement of rehabilitation and resettlement of our tribal villages in the present context in the Barak basin. All these eight villages (five villages already deserted out of 13 villages to be submerged earlier) to be submerged now are also resettled form by shifting from other places. It is very common thing among our tribal brothers to abandon villages when no longer sustainable as the surrounding forests could no longer support them. We have first to rehabilitate them from their primitive existence in small nondescript hamlets, with limited resources, without any basic amenities of life in the form of clean potable water, electricity, roads, healthcare, education. We cannot bring social harmony among ourself as long as there is economic disparity, equity in the distribution of available resources. Our political leaders, bureaucrats and intellectuals should consult with the tribal chieftains and plan for this rehabilitation and resettlement. If wisely used, funds earmarked for rehabilitation and resettlement package of this project may be a great help in changing the destiny of the project affected people.

Economic Viability of the Project.

Some critics are advocating that the project should be abandoned because it is nolonger economically viable. Yes, the project is no longer economically viable if you consider only the power generation revenue. But consider the inherent and indirect benefits in flood control, inland water transportation, reservoir fishery, employment generation, infrastructural developments like roads, schools, community centres, churches, water supply schemes, electrification of the resettled villages, tourism centre near Barak Falls, exclusive 400 KV transmission line from Tipaimukh to lmphal to be constructed out of the project costs. The project cannot be considered as economically unviable in larger perspective. As the cost of equipment and construction material has gone up worldwide, the cost of the project is now almost 8000 crores. Power Generation revenue out of 3895 GWH generated annually at Rs. 2/- per KWH will be only Rs,699/- crores. Unless the power tariff is revised above Rs.21. per KWH, NEEPCO may not be in a position meet the debt services and recover the cost of the project even in 30 years. However, Cabinet Committee on Investment has recommended to sanction the project even at a loss for the development of the region. To offset the losses, other Ministries like Water resources, Power, Surface Transport, HRD, Agriculture etc have to contribute to the project for the flood moderation, rural electrification, road construction, fishery development and inland water transportation facilitated by the project. Even, Assam Government should contribute some share as the state will benefit maximum as far as flood moderation is concerned without submerging an inch her area and shall be reclaiming vast areas of waterlogged lowlands for fishery and agriculture. . You cannot close down universities or hospitals because they are not economically viable. You cannot stop building roads and bridges because they give no revenue. It is public utility services essential for development. Economic viability is for the Central Government to decide and to manage. We must insist to construct the dam even if it is loss making project. Whether the project is viable or unviable economically, Manipur should get free power, employment in the project, its affected people adequately compensated, resettled and rehabilitated, create new forests four times the size of its submerged forests over and above compensation of the trees to be cut for the reservoir. We also must compel the project authorities or the Government of India to implement Reservoir Fishery Project to offset the lost of forest resources and to provide alternative livelihood to the affected villagers. The project should be economically viable for Manipur if not for NEEPCO or Central Government. Morever, we must request NEFPCO to redesign the Dam to ensure that per unit cost of power is less than Rs.l/- and Manipur get at least 500 Crores per year as royalty. With such a large storage area, FRL being 180 Mtrs and large eatchments area, heavy rainfall, there must be something wrong in the design to harness only 29% of the annual mn-off and allow 71 % of the water through spillways. Even if it is for flood moderation, we don’t want such inefficient dams and I am ready to join the anti dam people on this issue. At least 40 to 50% of the annual run-off must be harnessed and there will be no question of economic non viability of the project.

Further Debates

Many projects in our country are victims of unnecessary controversies. The two recently constructed dams of Narmada and Tehri had bitter battles between the anti dam NGOs and Governments resulting in World Bank pulling out from these projects, unending court cases and delays with inherent huge cost oveffuns. Narmada Project was to cost 12 thousand crores initially and after having spent 29,000 crores it is yet to be fully implemented. This is all unnecessary waste of public money and time which our poor country could ill afford when millions of our population are below poverty line. Except for nuisance value, waste of money and time, anti dam movements ultimately failed everywhere. Medha Patkar backed by Arundhati Roy for Narmada Dam, Sunderlal Bahuguna for Tehri Dam tried their bests but failed. What they could manage was the nuisance of wasting nearly Rupees 20 thousand crores of public money and forcing the World Bank to withdraw financing all hydroelectric projects in the country. We can enjoy the luxuries of open debates, participation of all stakeholders in decision making, when we have constructed as many dams as in USA and other developed western countries and having reached their level of development. Today, USA has more than 6700 large dams, have built dams in all technically suitable sites and having no more sites is telling the world that dams are bad and not to construct dams. Naturally no one is listening and all are constructing dams. Brazil has constructed Itaipu Dam (12,000 MW), has harnessed some tributaries of the Amazon and even planning to harness the Amazon. China after having constructed 22,000 large dams is now constructing the Three Gorges Dam to generate 20,000 MW, displacing more than 20 lakh people. As compared to these Mega Dams, Tipaimukh is a small fry. It is not the Government of USA or any other countries or global NGOs to tell us what to do for the welfare of our people and we have our own constitutional provisions for decision making. If someone is not convinced, he or she may appeal to the Supreme Court and have his or her grievances redressed. But, please don’t resort to economic blockades and bandhs which amounts to kicking at the stomach of the poor people.

If we consider ourselves as the true citizens of this country, and loyal to our constitution, we have our duty to the nation. We cannot forget that so many people in the Barak Valley in Assam have died due to floods, their property perished. So many crores of ruppies spent on flood control. Annual losses in Government properties due to floods are more than 30 crores. With the losses suffered by helpless public, it will be more than 100 crores annually. Further, vast areas of arable land remain submerged due to water logging. For larger interests of the region, we need to sacrifice to some extent. Because it is our ancestral land, we will do whatever we want: vandalise our forest for commercial gains, burn vast areas for jhooming and cause flash flood downstream may not be the right decision. One fine day, the affected people also may decide to do whatever they want in their ancestral land and block our second lifeline which may even become our first lifeline once the railway project is complete. Then, our learned friends will forget about the World Commission on Dams, the rights of the indigenous people and all the unrealistic campaigns and run away from the ground realities and seek survival for this already threatened social fabric of this state. Let us not complicate the issues and give support to the Central and State Governments efforts to harness whatever little resources we have in the form of water resources.

It is high time to seek the truth with open, transparent and constructive debates rather than trying to sabotage a developmental project by provoking the emotions of ignorant people with half truths and ignoring national plans, priorities and policies for the bests interests of the people. Finally, I appeal to all those who oppose the project to understand the national priority of energy security when the country is rushing to become an economic superpower and trying to achieve 10% growth rate. To day our shortfall in power sector is more than 27,000 MW and this handicap is the major stumbling block to si.stain even the present growth rate, Unless we view issues with wider perspectiVe5 our views will remain myopic, self centred and no developmental plans could be implemented.