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Saturday, October 01, 2016 1
Rengkai (Inpui): The ZO Re-Unification Organisation (ZORO) has written to the Government of India highlighting the urgent need for reconstruction work on national Highway 150 which connects Manipur and Mizoram via Tipaimukh. The organization said that the road is the "lifeline of the Hmar" community living on both sides of the border.

According to a copy of the letter accessed by Inpui.com, the group urged the Central government to immediately take up the issue so that the washed away Bailey Bridge over Tuivai river be rebuilt.

Given below is the transcript of the letter.  
 

To,
The Secretary to the Govt. of India.
Ministry of Road Transport and Highway (MoRTH),
Transport Bhawan,
1, Parliament Street,
New Delhi- 110001

Subject: Road Connectivity of National HighWay-02 and the reconstruction of Bailey Bridge over Tuivai River.

Reference: ZoRO Executive Committee Resolution No. C Sub-2 July 29,2016 

Sir,

As you are fully aware that the erstwhile Nation Highway-150 that connects the state of Manipur and Mizoram have a bridge over River Tuivai at Tipaimukh which was constructed more than twenty years ago which have been washed away. This was, perhaps, due to Clod burst causing landslide and mud-slide that washed away the said Bridge. The absence of strategic bridge caused immeasurable hardship to the Hmar community Living in the adjoining area of Mizoram and Manipur.

The delay in re-construction of the said bailey Bridge over river Tuivai at Tipaimukh retarded the place of development of the area heavily and causing hardship and impeding all round development of the area. With reason best known to the concerned authority the Highway is re-named as National Highway-02 with no worth with improvement and leaving the most Bailey bridge still not re-constructed.

Portion of the Highway that lies within the jurisdiction of the state of Mizoram have been maintained and the people of Mizoram are enjoying the benefits of this particular National Highway in spite of the road yet to cross Tuvai River to go to Manipur.

On the Manipur sate side the last portion, say about 100kms in length is in need of urgent major repair. Unfortunately, the Government of Manipur an Agency for the Highway, have been a silent spectator, doing to little to relief of the plight of the people living in Tipaimukh Sub-Division area.

This Highway is main life line for the neglected masses of the remote corner of Churachandpur District, Manipur State. In spite of a number of representations by the people Tipaimukh Sub-Division yielded no result so far. The People lost hope now.

May we therefore request your good office to consider the urgent need of re-construction of Bailey Bridge over Tuvai River at Tipaimukh so that essential commodities may be transported to Tipaimukh Sub-Division from Mizoram state and vice versa. It is worth to mention that this particular Highway will be the shortest route between Imphal (Manipur state) and Aizawl (Mizoram state). That is to say the Distance on the existing state Highway that runs via Sinzawl would be shortened by at least 60 kms.

May I request your good office to start preparation of 2-laning of this particular Highway the benefits of which needs no further emphasis and to earnestly request to instruct concern authorities to immediately take up re-construction of Bailey bridge over river Tuivai at Tipaimukh.

Sincerely Yours,

Sd/-
(R. LALCHHUANA)
President

Sd/-
(R. SANGKAWIA)
General Secretary.
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Saturday, February 06, 2010

Imphal, February 04 2010: The Tipaimukh Hydro Electric Power Project is an international issue and the Government of Manipur, NHPC and the Sutlej Jal Vidyoot Nigam Limited cannot take up the project based on any decision of their own, maintained the Committee on Land and Natural Resources (COLNAR), Citizens Concern for Dams and Development (CCDD), Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Project (ACTIP), Hmar Students' Association (HSA) and affected villagers of Nungba area.

Addressing a press conference at CCDD office at Paona Keithel this afternoon, COLNAR convenor Kinderson Pamei, HSA vice-president Joseph Hmar, CCDD co-chairperson Aram Pamei, ACTIP co-convenor O Bikramjit and Ramananda representing affected villagers of Nungba asserted that a debate should be held in the Manipur Legislative Assembly and consent of the people, particularly those likely to be affected should be sought first before taking up the project.

The Tipaimukh Project was discussed in the State Assembly twice in 1995 and 1997 .
The project was rejected on both the occasions.

They asked as to why the SPF Government has been attempting to press the project forward skipping the Assembly.

Even though it is said that the installed capacity of the project is 1500 MW, the actual power generation would be only 420 MW.

From this, Manipur would receive just around 40 MW as its share.

Against this benefit of just 40 MW of power, the project would submerge around 192 square kms of land permanently which has rich flora and fauna and abundant medicinal plants, the civil society leaders cautioned.

The proposed joint meeting of the State Government, NHPC and Sutlej Jal Vidyoot Nigam Limited on initiating Tipaimukh project is nothing but invitation for mass protest movements.

Demanding that the proposed meeting be scrapped, the civil society leaders asserted that merits and demerits should be analysed thoroughly before taking up any work on Tipaimukh project.

The Sangai Express

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Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Oliver Intoate [By Tv. Oliver Intoate, for Inpui.com]

Background: Tipaimukh sub-division is one of the thirty one tribal development blocks of the state of Manipur, India. The population of the block is, according to the 1991 census, is 23,993. It lies on the extreme south bordering the state of Mizoram. The term Tipaimukh means the meeting point or confluence of the two rivers- Tuivai aand Tuiruong(Barak). The people living in and around Tipaimukh are Hmars of Mizo ethnic group. To them, Tipaimukh is known as Ruonglevaisuo. It is here that the Tipaimukh hydro-electric project envisages construction a 390 m. long, 162.8 m high earthen core rock-fill which is one of the biggest dams in India. Therefore, the environmental and ecological issues  arising out of this project merit immediate attention and action.

Originating from the northern flank of the 1784 m. high peak situated at the east of Senapati district (north), Barak river has a long and winding course running towards south, southwest and suddenly taking a U-turn towards north just at the dam site. Several perennial streams drain into Barak River upstream of Tipaimukh.

Environmental and ecological issues:

A project of this magnitude cannot but have tremendous environmental and ecological impact on the life of the indigenous people living there and on their lands. As it has been mentioned earlier, the lower tract of the catchment above Tipaimukh is inhabited mainly by Hmars and upper part by Kukis with a section of Nagas. Because of the inaccessibility of the tract, plentiful forest land, development of land resources on scientific lines was sluggish leading to continued poverty.

2:1 The watershed: The total catchment area of the river Barak in so far as Manipur and Mizoram are concerned is 9567 sq.km (Manipur) and 9866 sq.km. (Mizoram). The entire catchment area has been covered by soil survey. However, soil formation in composite tracts do not vary with variations of administrative boundaries. 75% of the catchment area having been studied is considered enough of a guide for the entire catchment. The national Bureau of Soil Survey and Land use Planning, Government of India, carried out soil survey in Manipur part of the catchment area and recognized 14 series.

2:2 Forest: The geographic area of the state is 22,327 sq.km of which 15,154 sq.km is recorded as forest. The actual forest cover of the state is 17,418 sq.km which constitutes 78% of the geographic area. According to the State Forest Report of 1997, there is a decrease of 140 sq.km in the forest cover in the present assessment. The dense forest decreases by 381 sq.km. This decrease in forest cover is mainly due to shifting cultivation amounting to 603 sq.km. Present survey report shows that of the overall change of 747 sq.km in dense forest area, 693 sq.km changes to open forest and 54 sq.km of forest. Between 1995 and 1997 assessments, 603 sq.km of forest area is lost to shifting cultivation.

2:3 Shifting cultivation: Shifting cultivation is one of the major causes of decreaJhuming: Rice cultivation in Tipaimukh sub-division of Manipur, India.se in the forest cover not only in Manipur but also in different states of Northest India. This shifting cultivation is actually the slash and burn system of cultivation. An area is taken up, vegetation cut and burnt, one crop of paddy raised and then this area abandoned and another piece of land taken up for similar treatment. The Jhuming cycle used to be 10 to 15 years earlier but due to increase in population, the cycle has come down to 3 to 5 years. In Manipur, 95% of household under Jhum. 50.000 households in the catchment area are estimated to practise shifting cultivation. In Mizoram side, one family covers one hactre under jhuming annually and 11,000 families are assumed to be engaged in shifting cultivation.

The practice of shifting cultivation keeps the people barely at subsistence level. Population sustaining and supporting capacity of land under shifting cultivation has been found to be as low as 3 to 16 sq.km in Manipur and Mizoram. The system does not help in producing surplus for reinvestment.

Practically whole of the area has been affected by this practice of jhuming resulting in clearance of tree over and degradation of land. Only very few pockets of forest are left now which can be said to have original vegetation and eco-system. Another serious impact of jhuming cultivation is on wildlife habitat. Jhuming not only destroys the wildlife habitat but also kills all forms of wildlife in a bid to save their crops one the one hand and to supplement the diet with non-vegetarian food on the other. As the jhuming areas are scattered all over the forest, these kills go unpoliced.

2:4 Soil erosion: There has not been so far scientific management of the forest in these hill regions. The successive local administrations, rather than controlling/regulating transit of forest produce checking any illicit feeling and export, used control and issue of transit passes on payment for collecting revenues. This results in unscrupulous forest contractors resorting to large scale felling and more so of various species. These over-feelings has been continuing for hundreds years resulting in depletion of forest trees and bamboos. As has been pointed out, by far the most destructive and erosive agent is the shifting cultivation. Thus, the average annual soil loss rate is as given below;

Landuse Area in the catchment ha. Annual soil loss t/ha Total annual soil loss from the catchment (tones)

  1. Wet Rice cultivation 6,610 2.80 18,500
  2. Shifting cultivation 70,130 40.05 28,71,824
  3. Forests 7,28,905 0.52 3,79,030
  4. Mixed Forest/bamboos 4,70,155 18.95 89,09,437

Total 12,75,800 62,32 121,78,799 Or say 122 lakh tones.

It is thus clear that unless development measures associated with a forestation and improved agricultural practices are being resorted to in the catchments area of the Tipaimukh dam, the dormant economic condition of the people is bound to deteriorate further.

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Wednesday, May 20, 2009
[By Dr. SOIBAM IBOTOMBI, Dept. of Earth Sciences, Manipur University]

The proposed Tipaimukh dam is to be located 500 metres downstream from the confluence of Barak and Tuivai rivers, and lies on the south-western corner of Manipur State (24°14¢N and 93°1.3¢E approximately). It is a huge earth dam (rock-fill with central impervious core) having an altitude of about 180 M above the sea-level with a maximum reservoir level of 178m and 136m as the MDDL (minimum draw down level).

The dam was originally conceived to only contain the flood water in the Cachar plains of Assam but later on, emphasis has been placed on hydroelectric power generation, having an installation capacity of 1500MW with only a firm generation of 412MW (less than 30 per cent of installed capacity). In order to appease the people of Manipur state, the project proponent, NEEPCO, has been building up a list of benefits that include high-class tourism, free power sharing, resettlement and rehabilitation package and an all round rosy picture of development.

Over the past decade and half, the issue of Tipaimukh dam has created a lot of disenchantment in regard to scientific, technical, economic and environmental feasibility of the dam especially concerning with the state of Manipur. An attempt is, therefore, made here to provide a brief geological, structural and tectonic account of Tipaimukh and its adjoining region in terms of tectonic framework of Indo-Myanmar [Burma] Ranges (IMR) in general and that of Manipur in particular and possible socio-economic impacts of the dam. Such a consideration would reveal the nature and extent of the geotectonic risk being taken by constructing a mega-dam at Tipaimukh.

Some basic geological informationTipaimukh and its adjoining areas are basically made up of Surma Group of rocks. The rocks of Surma Group are mainly light grey to brownish grey generally medium to coarse grained sandstones having occasional shale and silt/sand intervening bands between massive to thickly bedded sandstones. Conglomeratic (loosely cemented pebbles and gravel)) horizon at the base of Bhuban Formation, though, can be observed in the field easily due to its wide areal extent; other conglomeratic horizons are generally often missing which is probably due to their localised nature.

In general, this group of rocks are predominantly arenaceous with subordinate shales. Usually shales are less sandy and sandstones are less argillaceous. Some typical natures of bedding similar to turbidite character are also found at places. Like Barails, Surma Group of rocks is also marked by primary structures such as cross bedding, ripple marks, etc.
All these geologic features, lithocharacters as well as primary st ructures suggest a different depositional environment from that of the Disangs and Barails. So, these groups of rocks as well as the younger Tipams are treated as molasse sediments.

The rocks of Surma Group are well characterised by folds and faults having regional strike similar to that of the Barails i.e. NNE-SSW. Fractures are also well developed which have close relationship with the topographic features and drainage patterns. The geometry of folds found in the region is quite typical as in other parts of the Surma Basin and Western Manipur. Antiforms are generally sharp and angular forming ridges while synforms are broad and rounded representing valleys and river beds. Such geometry of the folds might have been controlled by hidden faults called, blind thrusts. And these thrusts could be potential earthquake foci any time in future.

Geomorphic and topographic features around Tipaimukh and its adjoining region is also quite interesting not only because of thickly vegetated low-lying hill ranges but also due to the intimate relationship between the topography especially the drainage system, and the structural and tectonic lineaments of the region. The drainage pattern of the Barak river and its tributary system around Tipaimukh displays how delicately Barak river takes a turn of about 360° at Tipaimukh giving rise to what is called, barbed pattern. Such a drainage pattern is always resulted from the structural control of the river. And practically the main Barak River opposite to Tuivai River itself is also controlled by the Barak-Makru thrust fault. Further it is also observed that main Barak river course and its tributary system are all controlled by faults and fractures as they all show rectangular to sub-rectangular drainage patterns.

All these faults and fractures cause localised shifting or deflection of the main river course, and even at the confluence of Barak River and Tuivai River. Such faults are potentially active and may be focal and/or epicentres of any future earthquake. 1 The author thanks the Centre for Organisation Research & Education (CORE) for substantial inputs into this article from sources based in Bangladesh. The International Tipaimukh Dam Conference 2005, Dhaka saw international water, seismological and geological experts gather along with social activists, academics, writers and leaders from 11 countries.

North-East region among six major seismically active zones of the world Tectonic setting of Northeast India is one of the most interesting aspects in the tectonic framework of Southeast Asia. In this region, two typical tectonic settings are found resulting from the convergence between Indian and Eurasian plates. The Eastern Himalayas represent a continent to continent collision mechanism while the Indo-Myanmar Range is an island arc type of subduction mechanism. Indo-Myanmar Range, therefore, evolved as an accretionary prism where major structural and tectonic features spread out in the form of an imbricate thrust system. The Tipaimukh area, about which the dam is proposed to construct, lies in the Barak-Makru Thrust zone of the imbricate thrust system.

The structural and tectonic pattern of Manipur is transitional between the NE-SW trending pattern of Naga-Patkai Hills and N-S trend of Mizoram and Chin Hills. The general structural and lithological trend of the rock formations of the state is NNE-SSW. It frequently varies between N-S and NE-SW although sometimes NNW-SSE trends are locally common. Almost all the major structural elements such as folds, thrust and reverse faults follow this regional strike. Majority of the extensional structures e.g. normal faults have WNW-ESE trend. While the structures having neither compress ional nor extensional affinities strike in the NW-SE and NE-SW quadrants. Dip of the lithounits varies between moderate to steep angles towards east or west. The geological and structural settings suggest a very interesting tectonic evolutionary history of the state.

The state, forming an integral part of the Indo-Myanmar Range lies in the boundary region of the Indian, Eurasian and Myanmar plates having typical interaction nature. As a result, the region is also one of the most seismically active zones in the world (Zone V, earthquake zones of India).

The North-East region of India is one of the six major seismically active zones of the world that includes California, North-East India, Japan, Mexico, Taiwan and Turkey. So, it is essential to have a brief discussion on these aspects also.Plate Kinematics The root cause of earthquakes in a particular region is more or less exclusively a function of the tectonic setting of that region and its proximity to plate boundary. Therefore, the tectonic setting, plate movements and palaeo- and neo-stress analyses of the region are very important aspects in order to know about the seismic activity of that region. It, not only, will reveal the deformation mechanism of the region but also, will provide knowledge about the structures that may be easily reactivated as a function of the plate kinematics in that region.

Analysis conducted by the author about the plate kinematics in and around Manipur reveals that the structural and tectonic features of IMR in general and that of Manipur in particular evolved through the interaction between the Indian and Myanmar plates rather than Indian and Eurasian (China) plates under a simple shear deformation mechanism.From the analysis it is found that the region has compression in the WNW-ESE direction while extension lies in the NNE-SSW direction. As a result, structures such as folds, reverse and thrust faults oriented parallel to NNE-SSW direction will suffer maximum compression and shortening while structures such as normal faults, tension fractures and joints running parallel to the WNW-ESE direction will undergo maximum extension.

And structures lying in the NW-SE and NE-SW quadrants will have strike-slip movement. The faults and fractures around Tipaimukh dam axis belong to the category that may undergo strike-slip and extensional movements. So, these structures can be easily reactivated causing small to considerable displacement along them by any tectonic phenomena e.g. moderate and large earthquakes. By such a process, if the dam axis is displaced by a few centimetres a serious damage may occur causing a dam disaster leading to huge loss of lives and property.Seismicity Northeast India is one of the highest earthquake potential area in the world due to its tectonic setting i.e. subduction as well as collision plate convergence. Analysis of earthquake epicentres and magnitudes of 5M and above within 100-200km radii of Tipaimukh dam site reveals hundreds of earthquakes in the last 100-200 years. It is found that within 100km radius of Tipaimukh, 2 earthquakes of +7M magnitude have taken placed in the last 150 years and the last one being occurred in the year 1957 at an aerial distance of about 75km from the dam site in the ENE direction.

Beside the frequency of such large earthquakes within 100km radius, it is also further observed that a number of epicentral points align in the form of a linear array parallel to regional strike NNE-SSW or N-S revealing how this Barak-Makru Thrust zone is seismically active. Another important aspect of seismic activity is that shallow earthquakes are far more disastrous than the deeper ones even if magnitude is relatively low since destructive surface waves can be quickly and easily propagated from the focus/epicentre. And majority of the earthquakes that takes place on the western side of Manipur are shallow (50km focal depth or less) which is due to the tectonic setting of the Indo-Myanmar Range.

Under these circumstances whether it will be a wise policy to construct a huge dam or not need to be thoroughly discussed and investigated. The trend of earthquakes shows that the regions which have experienced earthquakes in the past are more prone to it; the magnitude of future earthquakes may be uniform to the past ones; and the earthquake occurrence, geological data and tectonic history all have close correlation (Mollick). The Tipaimukh Dam site has been chosen at the highest risk seismically hazardous zone (See Map).

The dam proponent, NEEPCO claims that seismic hazards are being taken care of through consultations with Rourkee University (However, the Government of Indian has requested NEEPCO to also consult with the Geological Survey of India). Here it is pertinent to state that extreme seismic hazards cannot be addressed adequately or satisfactorily through consultations with seismologists, as the risk inducing and impact factors are mechanical, geophysical, tectonic and socio-economic in nature.The author thanks the Centre for Organisation Research & Education (CORE) for substantial inputs into this article from sources based in Bangladesh.


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Thursday, May 14, 2009
[By Prof MUSTAFIZUR R TARAFDAR* Bangladesh]

TIPAIMUKH dam located in Manipur state of India, by all definitions falls into the category of a large high head [162m] dam. Though learnt to be a hydel power project for generation of 1500 MW electricity, it will definitely work as a flood control dam for Manipur and the neighbouring Mizoram state and irrigation may be practiced in suitable land areas along the 1 km stretch of the Barak river up to the Bangladesh border and by the periphery of the reservoir perimeter.
Dam and international river

Since the river Barak-Surma-Kushyara is an international river, Bangladesh as a lower riparian country should have an equitable share of water and an access to the deign details of the project, planning and design etc. It is learnt that the construction that started in 2007 was halted due to national and international uproar and resistance against probable environmental degradation inside and outside Indian territory and unilateral withdrawal of water of the river which will turn Bangladesh's north-eastern lush-green fertile soil into a sandy dry waste land, during the dry reason.

Such action tantamounts to violation of international convention which controls/regulates the equitable share to water of international rivers/watercourses. The above topics were discussed in many forums in different meetings and seminars in Dhaka and Sylhet and in at least two published books, 'No to Tipaimukh Dam' and 'Controversial Tipaimukh Dam: Overall Review'.

If we have access to the planning and deign details of the dam we can see, apart from hydro-power generation, what else the project entails. Whether it has a component of irrigation in particular, as for irrigation they will use winter dry season flow which otherwise would have been flowing downstream for ecological and other uses in the lower riparian country. For any large dam the release of water in the low flow period for ecological use is mandatory by international convention as well as custom.

Dam Break Study: For every large dam there is an important study called "Dam Break Study". In olden days this study was done by thumb-rule calculation without use of modern technology. In USA dams constructed in the 30's had serious incidences of collapse. Now the computer assembles all study, data and design eriteria to ascertain the stability and strength of the dam against possible break/breach due to some acts of God like catastrophic hydrological events, severe earthquake or other events (like war). Different models are used to determine as to how to minimize high flood damages that might cause death and destruction downstream. In this case Bangladesh will be the poor victim. Tipaimukh dam impounding "billions" of cube meter (M3) of water, will naturally cause catastrophic floods (in case of dam break) for the dam is large and high.

Nigerian experience: The writer has the experience of review and analysis of a Chinese-built large and high dam in Cameroon, Africa, 40km east of Nigerian border on the large Benue river in 1980. In Nigeria its dam break study was performed. Design flood for this large dam was taken as 50,000-year flood. In the high hilly drainage basin of the dam, there was very high rainfall with consequent abnormal rise of water level of the reservoir in 1988 flood season which menacingly threatened the very stability of the dam, with water almost overtopping the dam. It was a rock-fill dam on which overtopping might have resulted in washing away of the dam with catastrophic consequences in both countries.

However, I am citing this grim episode for lessons for Tipaimukh dam design. If we can have an access to its design details, we can verify what flood frequency they had applied to arrive at design flood. As for any faulty design, if any catastrophe occurs, the sad outcome will fall on us in Bangladesh as a result of dam break.

For a dam of such magnitude and dimension a 100,000 to 500,000-year design flood should be considered adequate, particularly when the location of the dam is in a hilly earthquake-prone and a high intensity rain region of India.

Adverse effects: Adverse effects of the Tipaimukh dam will be staggeringly devastating and damaging for Bangladesh. Environmental degradation, economic crisis and hydrological drought will cause irreversible damage. Suddenly, the free flowing Surma and Kushyara rivers will turn dry and remain so for a major portion of the year (Nov-May) disrupting agriculture, irrigation, drinking water supply, navigation etc. Six to seven months dry conditions will stop/lessen recharge of ground water which over the years will lower the ground water level, affecting all dug wells, shallow tubewells, as it happened in south western region of Bangladesh as a result of drastic withdrawal of the Ganges water at Farakka. Agriculture that depends on surface as well as ground water will be affected seriously.

Surma-Kushyara with its maze of numerous tributaries and distributaries support agriculture, irrigation navigation, drinking water supply, fisheries, wildlife in numerous haors and low lying areas in the entire Sylhet division and some peripheral areas of Dhaka division. The river system also supports internal navigation, wildlife in haors, industries like fertilizer, electricity, gas etc.

The rosy, prosperous and healthy scenario may soon turn into history causing despondency desperation and misery to the people inhabiting the zone which is known for abundance of water, lush green field of crops and fish sanctuary.

Massive environmental degradation will occur, drastically affecting weather and climate, turning a wet cooler habitat into a hot uncomfortable cauldron. The severity of micro-climate causing heat and dry conditions will gradually increase in intensity spreading over a large area over the years. It may be mentioned that rainfall that the area gets for 4 to 5 months and flood water that will be released from the dam for a short period will not be enough to replenish the ground water. Climate and environmental change will force the farmers to reluctantly resort to planting low-yielding drought-resistant crops (unknown to them).

Sedimentation
Scarcity of water will cause siltation on river beds. When high rainfall will occur in the catchment area of the dam, enormous quantity of sediment-laden flood water will be released which will cause severity of flood in the Surma and Kushyara channels which would be already raised for low flow. This will further raise the water level causing floods in adjoining additional areas.

Navigation in river channels in the Meghna (combined Surma and Kushyara) will face depleted water flow and consequent sedimentation and severity of flooding in the wet season. Surface irrigation will be in jeopardy. The Meghna up to Chandpur will suffer from the adverse effects. The Meghna-Padma will have low flow which will accentuate saline backwater intrusion in the Padma channel which is already affected by the low flow for the withdrawal of water of the Ganges at Farakka.

Relevant ecological flow: The writer visited Bhumipol and Sirikit Dam sites in Thailand in mid seventy's. Though the dams were completed about 5/6 years ago the reservoir water level did not reach design level and the filling of the reservoir was continuing unabated during dry and rainy seasons. It was ascertained that water flowing (a good per cent of the impoundment) unabated through the outlet meant for release of water to maintain ecological balance in the downstream channel. The writer designed four major dams in Nigeria where, in all of them, there are separate adequate outlets for irrigation, water supply and hydropower and ecological flow for environment and emergency outlet for rapid evacuation of water for the safety of the dam.

It is expected that Tipaimukh dam will also allow ecological flow along with the equitable share of water for the international river Barak-Surma-Kushyara for Bangladesh as per entitlement negotiation.

Conclusion: Our government (JRC) may request India to postpone, better stop the construction of the Tipaimukh Dam if possible, through bi-lateral diplomacy or else seek intervention by United Nations. Sharing of water of Indus basin was negotiated between India and Pakistan with the assistance of the World Bank. A dispute on river Danube between Czechoslovakia later Slovakia and Hungary was referred to the International Court of Justice. In our own country Farakka issue was resolved bilaterally with India.

Our government (JRC) should soon start negotiation on equitable sharing of water according to our entitlement as a lower riparian of the international river Barak-Surma-Kushyara as per UN Convention. Unilateral withdrawal would be a gross violation of UN Convention that regulates the use of water of international rivers/water courses. Any delay in negotiation might end up in a pathetic situation, causing irreversible environmental, economic and hydrological chaos.

We may ask for design/survey data, drawings/maps etc, and EIA report prepared by the dam authority in order to verify if the Dam Break Study was made and whether EIA included adverse effects and mitigation measures thereof for the lower riparian Bangladesh. Environment-concerned institutions and individuals may even intensify resistance against the Tipaimukh Dam, as it is still in the rudimentary stage of constriction.

[Editor's Note: Prof Tarafdar an expert in water resources expert is a professor of civil engineering at the World University of Bangladesh. He had worked with the World Bank, Washington DC, UN/FAO, Nigeria, Planning Commission and BWDB, Dhaka]
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Friday, April 17, 2009
APRIL 17, 2009 (Inpui News): Come April 21-22, 2009 at 11 local time on the banks of Surma and Kushiara rivers in Bangladesh, activists of Ankikar Bangladesh Foundation are all set to lay down in protest against "the monstrous Tipaimukh dam", a mega-hydel project taken up by India in its northeastern state of Manipur.

The activists are also planning to organise a Surma River-bank Parliament on Tipaimukh Dam issue at Kinn's Bridge Ghat, Sylhet on April 22.

Ankikar Bangladesh Foundation has been leading the anti-dam campaign for decades now and is putting pressure on the Bangladeshi government not to allow India to go ahead with Tipaimukh dam fearing "immense impact" on the people of Bangladesh.
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Friday, April 17, 2009
DHAKA, APRIL 14, 2009: India yesterday proposed to Bangladesh to send a delegation to the construction site of the Tipaimukh Dam on the international river Barak, saying that the dam would not affect the lower riparian Bangladesh.

"We don't think it (dam) should have downstream effect," Indian External Affairs Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon told reporters after nearly two-hour meetings with Foreign Minister Dipu Moni, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Hasan Mahmud and Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain at the Foreign Ministry.

Menon, who came here late Sunday afternoon on a short notice, said:

"We welcome a Bangladesh delegation to see what it is exactly, rather than everybody commenting on something that they have not seen."

Allaying fears about the possible adverse impact of the dam on the ecology of Bangladesh, he said it is best to sit together "to explain to your people what we plan to do and you tell us what's your fear and what your worry is. This is a normal way between friends."

In response to the Indian proposal, Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossain said the proposal would be examined though it is a matter of another ministry (Water Resources).

He said New Delhi has no reservation if the proposed delegation consisted of both political and technical people as "they want to remove our concerns."

Dhaka earlier sought data and information from New Delhi about its Tipaimukh dam as many experts fear that the dam would have adverse environmental impact on Bangladesh, which share the same river basin with India.

Menon's sudden visit triggered wild speculations as the Foreign Ministry kept the local media completely in the dark. "I thought you knew it as media knows ahead of us," Touhid told reporters with a smile.

The Indian External Affairs Secretary said he had no specific issue on his agenda. "We are good friends and good neighbours" and it is part of ongoing dialogues on various issues between the two countries.

Menon, who also met with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Army Chief Gen Moeen U Ahmed said they had wide range of discussions covering issues of water, economy and trade, and how to improve the economic ties by removing trade barriers. He said he is very satisfied with the discussions and going back to Delhi with confidence.

Asked whether India wants to help reorganize BDR, Menon said the new BDR director general recently met with his Indian counterpart, BSF director general, in New Delhi and they had good discussions. Both the countries want peaceful border.

Asked whether India has any reservation about Bangladesh's plan to set up nuclear power plant, he said India would always be happy to see a prosperous Bangladesh.

Touhid said issues like connectivity to increase the bilateral trade and release of Indian and Bangladeshi citizens from the respective country's jails also featured in the discussion. However, he said, extradition of ULFA leader Anup Chetia did not come up.

Source: The New Nation
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Wednesday, February 04, 2009
Source: The Sangai Express

Tuithaphai, Feb 3: Eight youths, including a teenage girl were deceived by an agent who allegedly collected money worth tens of thousands from them in return for a falsified job at the yet to be cleared and controversial marred Tipaimukh mega Dam project. The youths hailing mainly from Imphal West and Thoubal districts had paid one Shamkishore alias Angoubi of Wangjing Wangkhei in Thoubal, a ransom amounting from Rs 20,000 to 40,000 for a Soil Test and Supervisor job at the dam site in the early part of last year.

The accused, who happens to be a close relative of some of the victims allegedly convinced them to pay Rs 20,000 for the soil test and Rs 40,000 for the supervisor jobs.

On January 28, eight of them in the company of their agent headed for Tipaimukh from Imphal and arrived at Jiribam, where the office of their alleged employer was housed. On their arrival there, they saw nothing of sort but without reservation they continued to follow their agent who said the office had shifted to the dam site.

However after travelling sometime on foot, sometime by boat and sometime by Sumo for three days, they still failed to get hold of the office they were suppose to work. Unwilling to take any more chances, the youths after their initial apprehension at Jiribam approached the first security out-post they run into, at Sipuikawm village.

The 12 Madras Regiment that manned the interior out-post then enquired the matter and on finding no substantial evidence on the existence of such jobs, transfered them to the 27 Sector Assam Rifles here, who again referred them to the police today.

Khangenbam Deni Singh, a resident of Wangjing Bazar of Thoubal district, one of the victim who was supposed to get the soil test job said they were issued Identity cards, under Tipaimukh Project Dam, 118 UFF, Ravi Gupta, Shillong. When they contested that any Government issued I-cards should have their insignia and the agent allegedly told them that theirs was better-off than that of the Governments.

Angoubi told this correspondent that he was working under the behest of one lady from Babu Bazar, Thoubal. Identifying his superior as Binasakhi, he also claimed that her mobile number was already in possession of the police. But the local police still unwilling to share anything that already is in their hand as of now refuse to divulge it. All eight victims and their guide, Diamong Thang, 18 of Ngampabung, Vangai Range, hired from Jiribam were released today.

At the time of filing this report the police here were yet to lodge any complaint in this regard as they are still in the process of referring the case to their counterparts in Thoubal.

Meanwhile, a twenty-nine-year-old youth Chanam Amuba Singh today stabbed a hotel-boy at Star Guest house in New Bazar with a dagger that blows him unconscious. Amuba is said to have told the police, he was due to deliver a jewellery to the proprietor of the guest house but in her absence the hotel-boy identified as Pauthianmawi of Lamjang village try to snatch the item, ensuing to a fish-fight and the subsequent use of the dagger. The version of the hotel-boy who receives multiple injuries on his head and legs could not be obtained as he still was unable to speak even late in the evening. He is treated at the district hospital here.
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