Ultimatum served to chief minister over Mapithel Dam

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, May 13, 2019: Mapithel Dam Affected villagers Headmen/Chiefs and Elder’s Organisation (MDAVHCEO) representing the JAC Against Force Construction of Mapthel Dam (JAC-AFCMD) has served an ultimatum to chief minister N. Biren Singh to enter into a memorandum of agreement between the government and affected villagers by May 15 as agreed upon by the parties in the joint meeting held on November 19 last year.

In default the organisation and the JAC will have no alternative but have to resort agitation, tge ultimatum said. It cautioned to call bandh on May 16 on vehicular movement along the Imphal- Ukhrul Road and Mapithel Dam approach Roads. It also cautioned to impose indefinite bandh from May 16 blocking the transportation of construction materials for Mapithel Dam and to stop the Coastal Company from constructing tunnel indefinitely.

The ultimatum was served on May 8 following a joint emergency meeting held on the previous day, chairman of MDAVHCEO, A.S. Solomon told reporters today at Manipur Press Club.

The ultimatum note mentioned that in connection with the eehabilitation and resettlement of affected villages of Thoubal Multi Purpose Project, a joint sitting was held on November 19 last year among the JAC Against forced construction of Mapithel Dam and the affected villages represented by the Mapithel Dam Affected villagers Headmen/Chiefs and Elder’s Organisation with the state government of Manipur headed by the chief minister of Manipur in the presence of forest minister Shyam Kumar and MLAs K.Leisheyo and Khashim Vashum and head of the departments at chief minister’s bungalow.

In the minute of the meeting the long issue relating to Rehabilitation and Resettlement was positively deliberated between the state government and the JAC and the affected villagers. As the result of which  the chief miniater was pleased to entrust the matter to the secretary Water Resource and MI, Manipur to initiate steps to enter a conclusive and bilaterally desirable memorandum of agreement between the government of Manipur and the affected villages. However, even after a lapse of more than seven months no step has been initiates till date as such, it has prompted the conscience of the affected villagers and the JAC that the state government is inordinately delaying the matter and not sincere in sorting out the long pending issue of “rehabilitation and resettlement”.