Tipaimukh Dam : State lobbies Delhi

The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 17 2009

The State Government has written to the Ministry of Power to exercise its influence over Mizoram Government for giving forest clearance so that the construction work of the proposed 1500 megawatt capacity Multipurpose Power Project may be started soon.

According to an official source, although the Union Ministry of Forest and Environment has given the environmental clearance for the project, commencement of construction work has been delayed as the Mizoram Government has not given the forest clearance.

Consequently, the State Government has written to the Ministry of Power to exert influence on Mizoram Government in this regard.

The Ministry of Power is likely to do the needful in this regard very soon, the source conveyed, adding that as of now no construction work could be started.

As to the report that an official team from Bangladesh would be visiting Mizoram in connection with the project, the source maintained that it is not in the knowlege of the State Government.

It may be noted here the Ministry has already agreed on taking up the project as a joint venture with Manipur contributing only 5 percent of the project cost.

The Action Committee Against Tipaimukh Dam has been opposing the proposed dam in Manipur.

Action plan for speedy implementation of Tipaimukh project made

The Imphal Free Press

Imphal, June 17: Though there has been strong opposition from various sections of society over the Tipaimukh Dam Project, state government with the Environment Clearance from the concerned ministry formulated Special Propose Vehicle, SPV, for the implementation of the project.

The State high power meeting has recently chalked out the action plan for the speedy implementations of 1500 MW Tipaimukh project in the state following the environment clearance by the Ministry of Forest and Environment as recommended by the State Forest Department through Regional Chief Conservator of Forest, RCCF, Shillong.

In the meantime, minutes of meeting chaired by the state chief secretary, Rakesh held during last month have reviewed the progress of implementation of the Tipaimukh project and decisions which include the state power department to formally convey its decision to the proposed Special Propose Vehicle SPV on Tipaimukh project and the quantum of equity participation, to assist NEEPCO for obtaining allotment orders for land acquisition in Lamphelpat areas for NEEPCO Imphal office and to cooperate with NEEPCO for timely construction of the 400 KV transmission lines for evacuation of power and set up 400/132 KV sub-station at Imphal.

According to a highly placed official source, the recent state high level meeting has also advised the state Planning department to constitute a Committee for monitoring and assisting land aquisition for the project and State Home department to follow up with Ministry of Home Affairs MHA, regarding arrangements for providing external security to the Tipaimukh project based on the reports submitted by IGP (LO-II) who inspected the project site last year and state Home department is also advised to request the MHA for setting up a helipad and introduce helicopter service to Tipaimukh.

The official source further added that the meeting also advised the official present from the state Electricity department to prepare a brief for Chief secretary, Manipur for partcipation in the Union Power Secretary’s meeting which was scheduled in first part of this month regarding setting up of SPV, decision regarding partner to be obtained in time and meeting instructed the NEEPCO to obtain Mizoram government’s recommendation for forest clearance to MoEF within this month.

Regarding the formation of the Special Propose Vehicle, SPV, for the implementation of Tipaimukh project, the official source quoted that state chief minister has already written an official letter to the Union Power minister proposing to take up the project under a Special Propose Vehicle, SPV, with respective partners like, NHPC, NTPC, SJVNL along with NEEPCO and state government. As resolved in the Union Power secretary meeting held during November last year, NEEPCO has circulated the project details to all the above prospective stakeholders for their views/comments with intimation to joint secretary (Hydro), MoP. NTPC has declined to participate, NHPC was willing to join the SPV provided 51 percent stake in equity is given, Executive Director NEEPCO has requested state government for early finalisation of its decision to take 5 percent equity stake in the proposed SPV as Ministry of Power has convened during this month to consider SPV with 51 percent participation by SJVNL, 44 percent by NEEPCO and 5 percent by the state government.

The official source further said after receipt of Environment Clearance from the MoEF, the project cost of Tipaimukh project has further been updated September last year. The updated cost (excluding the components for flood moderation, external security and Diversion of National Highway, but including internal security and NPV), works out to Rs. 8138.79 crores including IDC of Rs. 1570.73 crores. The first year tariff and levelised tariff works out to Rs. 4.65 crores and Rs. 4.30 per unit respectively.

The official source further mentioned that International Competitive Bidding for Engineering Procurement and Construction (EPC) for major items like Dam, Electro-Mechanical parts floated on November 30, 2005 are now scheduled to be opened in last part this month in order to have a formal execution of construction works at the project site. The BRO has submitted Detail Project Reports for realignment of NH-53 and Manipur portion of NH-150. However, Govt. of Mizoram is insisting that the work relating to realignment for NH-150 in Mizoram be entrusted to Mizoram PWD. But both want that the entire work relating to re-alignment of NH-53 and NH-150, both in Manipur and Mizoram be taken up by BRO, and NEEPCO is following up the matter with government of Mizoram including obtaining of Environment Clearance from the Mizoram government, the source added.

The official source recalled that in the Cabinet Secretary meeting held during December last year to review the progress of the Tipaimukh project, the Ministry of Water Resources have conveyed approval for meeting the cost component of flood moderation, the updated estimate is Rs. 542.16 crores and Ministtry of Shipping Road Transport and Highway has conveyed its in principle approval to meet the cost of diversion of NH-53 and updated cost is Rs. 202.63 crores and Ministry of Home Affairs too has also conveyed its in-principle approval for meeting the cost of providing external security to the project, and updated estimated cost being Rs. 299.17 crore, the source added.

Source: http://www.kanglaonline.com/index.php?template=headline&newsid=47419&typeid=1

Razzak to lead JS team to Tipai

MPs from AL, JP, Jamaat, experts included; BNP left out

Rashidul Hasan and Shakhawat Liton

The parliamentary standing committee on water resources ministry yesterday formed a nine-member team comprised of lawmakers and experts to visit the Tipaimukh dam area to assess its impact on Bangladesh.

Chairman of the parliamentary body Abdur Razzak, also presidium member of ruling Awami League (AL) and former water resources minister, will head the committee.

The committee includes AL lawmakers Abdur Rahman, AKM Fazlul Haque and ABM Anwarul Haque, Jatiya Party lawmaker Ruhul Amin Hawlader and Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Hamidur Rahman Azad, meeting sources said.

All of them are members of the parliamentary body while it does not have any lawmakers from BNP. Three water resources experts will be incorporated in the nine-member committee.

Contacted by The Daily Star Opposition Chief Whip Zainul Abdin Farroque said he does not know anything about it and he would comment after enquiry.

The committee chief, however, said BNP lawmakers can talk to them on the formation of the committee inside the parliament, if they want.

“We will visit the Tipaimukh Dam project area soon in consultation with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” Abdur Razzak said in a press briefing after the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

He said the committee members at the meeting expressed their frustration following the comments of experts on the Tipaimukh Dam 'without knowing the exact situation'.

“We have formed the all-party parliamentary body to let the nation know the exact information,” Razzak asserted.

After the visit, the parliamentary body will place its report to the government that had already vowed to take necessary measures based on the report.

Hasina on May 27 said an all-party parliamentary committee would be formed to visit the site of Tipaimukh Dam before the government took any decision in this regard.

"After the visit to the spot, the committee will submit its report to the House to decide whether the government would give a nod of approval of constructing the dam," the premier was quoted as saying by her Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad after a visit of Indian high commissioner to Hasina.

Water Resources Minister Romesh Chandra Sen last Sunday also echoed the premier's view.

On lawmakers' anxiety over construction of the Tipaimukh Dam, the water resources minister said the Tipaimukh Dam is unlike the Farakka Barrage and Indian government assured Bangladesh of not diverting water from the Barak River.

At the press briefing at the media center of parliament, Abdur Razzak blasted 'experts' for commenting on Tipaimukh Dam without 'having necessary information'.

He said Professor Muzaffer Ahmad and many others remained silent when trees at the Suhrawardi Udayan were felled indiscriminately, but they are now talking about the dam without knowing the exact scenario.

Muzaffer, on Monday, asked the premier not to stand against people's expectation and told ministers and MPs to step down if they failed to stop India from constructing the dam.

Experts said the downstream Sylhet region would be turned into a desert if the Dam were built on the upstream Indian region.

Razzak also lambasted former water resources minister of BNP-Jamaat-led alliance government Hafizuddin Ahmed for "agreeing" with India on the Tipaimukh Dam.

“The issue of construction of the Tipai Dam was discussed at Bangladesh-India Joint River Commission meeting in 2003. The then water resources minister did not say anything against the dam but now he is getting louder against it,” Razzakalleged.

When his attention was drawn to remarks of a number of ministers, Razzak said the committee would disclose the report before the nation after visiting the Tipaimukh project.

“Indian government has informed our foreign ministry and water resources ministry that the Dam will be constructed to generate hydroelectricity not for irrigation purpose. And the project is yet to start,” he added.

Source: http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=92939

Vow to resist construction of Tipaimukh Dam

Staff Correspondent

The construction of Tipaimuk Dam on Barak River will be resisted at any cost and the government will be forced by countrywide movement to raise its voice against this evil plan of India.

The sentiment was expressed by the members of civil society, teachers of different universities, politicians, social activists, environment specialists and lawyers on Monday at a national seminar on “Tipaimukh dam: Bangladesh’s Responsibilities” organised by Soroma, Kushiara and Meghna save movement at the National Press Club yesterday.

The speakers said India is going to complete the construction of Tipaimukh dam in 2012 for diverting waters of Barak unilaterally. India wants to ensure agricultures in dryer areas of Hariana, Rajisthan and Gujrat a hub of their modern agriculture. If they start diverting water through the barrage, normal flow and availability of water of country’s around 57 rivers will be lost and country’s north-east area will become a desert within a very short time.

During the seminar Barkat Ali teacher of Geography and Environment Science at Chittagonj University in his presentation said if India starts to divert water through this barrage, in dry season, the normal water flow of Meghna River will decrease by 80 percent and in rainy season it will decrease by 25 percent. Due to this, around five crore people of greater Sylhet district will face severe water crisis.

If India diverts water, Bangladesh will incur financial loss to Tk one billion every year. Around 50 percent river communication system, agriculture, fisheries, industries and socio-economical structures will also be destroyed which will bring hydrological change and climatological disaster in the country, he also said.

Economist Mozaffar Ahmed said the Indian decision for constructing barrage on Barak River is a violation of international river Act and the declaration of United Nation. “It is our national crisis as well as international issue. So, we have to launch countrywide massive movement unitedly and pressure on the government will have to be mounted to raise voice against Indian step,” he said.

He said the government has decided to send parliamentary team to conduct survey in the areas. Specialised manpower will have to be included in the team. If the government fails to stop the construction of Tipaimukh Dam the lawmakers and ministers should step down from the government for the greater interest of country’s natural resources, democracy and sovereignty.

SI Khan former environmentalist and researcher of United Nation said an agreement for due share of Ganges water will have to be signed between Bangladesh, India Nepal and Bhutan where United Nation will play a vital role in ensuring distributing of waters among the countries.

Asafuddowlah former secretary of water resources ministry said Indian High Commissioner is trying to make Bangladesh understand that the India is going to construct a dam on Barak River only for generating 1500 megawatt electricity. But Tipaimuk dam or barrage whatever it will be the deathtrap of the countrymen. India is going to build another Farakka in a planned way.

Source: www.thebangladeshtoday.com

Tipaimukh dam: Farm output to fall, spelling disaster for Sylhet region

bdnews24.com, Dhaka

Farm output will fall and poverty will rise, spelling ‘disaster’ for the Sylhet region if India’s proposed Tipaimukh dam and Fulertal barrage are built, maintain experts.

“The dam will cause water flow to slow down while the barrage will ensure their full control of water resources,” former director general and chief engineer of Water Resources Planning Organisation,engineer Inamul Haque told bdnews24.com Thursday.

“The cultivation of early variety of boro in the northeast would be hampered,” he said.

“So far as I know the Tipaimukh dam will be built 200 kms from the Amolshid border, at Zakingong, to construct a vast water reservoir for hydro-power generation.”

“The water from three rivers-the Barak, Tipai and Irang-would be required to feed the water reservoir to cover an immense area,” said Inamul.

“Besides, another barrage is to be built 100 kms off our border at Fulertal in India for irrigation purposes which would feed the waters through canals,” Haq said.

Haq said downstream regions will experience two major impacts: firstly, with the decrease of water in December, the people who now grow early varieties of boro on the land which used to arise in the haor areas would no longer have this resource.

Secondly, the water flow of the river Surma will decrease significantly, he said.

IUCN resident director Dr.Ainun Nishat told bdnews24.com that the construction of Tipaimukh dam will reduce the the natural monsoon flood patterns of the area on which cultivation depends.

He said the construction of barrage at Fulertal on top of the Tipaimukh dam could seriously reduce the water flow during the dry season.

“The extent of drop in water flow depends on the volume of water withdrawn through the irrigation canals,” he said.

“We could see the Surma and Kushiara rivers dry up completely during the dry season, he said

Anu Muhammad, professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University, told bdnews24.com the Tipaimukh dam and Fulertal barrage would spell “a great disaster.”

“Arable land will decline and production of crops fall, leading to a rise in poverty,” he said.

According to some reports, the proposed Tipaimukh dam across the river Barak in the Indian state Monipur will 162.5 metres high and 390metres long to create a reservoir by permanently submerging some 2.75 square kilometers of land.

India expects to generate around 1500 megawatt of hydropower from the project.

Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/06/17/news0277.htm

‘MPs, Ministers should quit if they fail to stop Tipaimukh Dam’

UNB, Dhaka

Former TIB chairman Prof Muzaffer Ahmed on Monday said the lawmakers and ministers should step down from their respective position if they fail to protect people’s and nation’s interest by saying no to Tipaimukh dam.

“We voted them to protect our rights and interests… I don’t know how they claim the dam will not be harmful for Bangladesh,” he said, while speaking as chief guest at a national seminar on Tipaimukh Dam at the Jatiya Press Club auditorium in the morning. Assistant Professor of Chittagong University Geography Department Kazi M Barkat Ali presented the keynote paper at the seminar, organized by ‘Movement to Protect Surma-Kushiara-Meghna’, a citizens’ forum.

Former DG of BDR Maj Gen (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman, former secretary Mohammad Asaf Uddowlah, Engr Dr SI Khan and Prof Dr Mahbub Ullah, among others, addressed the seminar with convener of the forum Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury in the chair.

Prof Muzaffer Ahmed doubted the patriotism of the lawmakers and ministers who are advocating in favor of Tipaimukh Dam ignoring the nation’s interest.

He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina should lead the nation to protest India’s bid to make the dam and people are ready to go for a movement with her to protect the country’s interest.

He urged the government “not to kill people by welcoming drought saying yes to Tipaimukh dam.”

“It’s not a political issue at all, it’s a national issue and we’re virtually in a do or die situation,” said the eminent economist and social activist. “It is unfortunate that an elected government is apparently favoring the dam,” he added.

He said he was alone when he protested against the same issue in 2004 and now the entire nation is united against the dam. This will help to force India to change their mind over the issue.

Prof Muzaffer asked the Prime Minister why she is sending a team to India without demanding documents of feasibility study and technical assessment on Tipaimukh dam.

“Make your stand over the issue clear before the nation, people will cooperate you,” he said suggesting direct discussion before agreeing on the construction of the dam.

He urged the people to remain alert against any conspiracy and continue their movement until India suspends its plan. “For sustainable development of Bangladesh, its rivers and water-bodies would have to be protected.”

Dr Asaf Uddowlah said national unity is urgently needed to stop the construction of Tipaimukh Dam as it has become a great cause of concern for the entire nation.

Former BDR DG Maj Gen (retd) ALM Fazlur Rahman said people are making promises on various issues but none was found to pledge to stop the Tipaimukh Dam. “Promising to stop Tipaimukh dam is more urgent than any other promises.”

Indicating at those who are talking in favor of Tipaimukh Dam, he said: “Wrap up your business with India, people will never forgive you for anti-state activities.”

Barkat Ali in his keynote paper suggested an all-party committee to deal with the issue so that the country’s interest can be protected.

Describing some adverse impacts the Tipaimukh Dam might cause, he said all patriotic citizens of the country should stand against the dam as India is moving with their own agenda keeping Bangladesh in dark.

Earlier, speakers said democracy, independence and sovereignty of the country are now in great peril and all the people with “nationalistic spirit” should get united to protect the country’s interests.

They said country would incur huge “economic and environmental losses” if India builds the Tipaimukh Dam.

The speakers called upon the government to take all possible initiatives to stop the construction of Tipaimukh dam on Borak River saying that the northern and eastern side of the country would be turned into desert if Tipaimukh dam is constructed. They were highly critical of the government for remaining silent when the Indian government is implementing the construction of the dam violating the international river law and ignoring the interest of Bangladesh.

Source: http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2009/06/16/news0188.htm

Tipaimukh dam, Fulertal barrage spell 'disaster' for Sylhet, say experts

Fri, May 29th, 2009
Maruf Mallick


Dhaka, May 28 (bdnews24.com)—Farm output will fall and poverty will rise, spelling 'disaster' for the Sylhet region if India's proposed Tipaimukh dam and Fulertal barrage are built, maintain experts.

"The dam will cause water flow to slow down while the barrage will ensure their full control of water resources," former director general and chief engineer of Water Resources Planning Organisation,engineer Inamul Haque told bdnews24.com Thursday.

"The cultivation of early variety of boro in the northeast would be hampered," he said.

"So far as I know the Tipaimukh dam will be built 200 kms from the Amolshid border, at Zakingong, to construct a vast water reservoir for hydro-power generation."

"The water from three rivers—the Barak, Tipai and Irang—would be required to feed the water reservoir to cover an immense area," said Inamul.

"Besides, another barrage is to be built 100 kms off our border at Fulertal in India for irrigation purposes which would feed the waters through canals," Haq said.

Haq said downstream regions will experience two major impacts: firstly, with the decrease of water in December, the people who now grow early varieties of boro on the land which used to arise in the haor areas would no longer have this resource.

Secondly, the water flow of the river Surma will decrease significantly, he said.

IUCN resident director Dr.Ainun Nishat told bdnews24.com that the construction of Tipaimukh dam will reduce the the natural monsoon flood patterns of the area on which cultivation depends.

He said the construction of barrage at Fulertal on top of the Tipaimukh dam could seriously reduce the water flow during the dry season.

"The extent of drop in water flow depends on the volume of water withdrawn through the irrigation canals," he said.

"We could see the Surma and Kushiara rivers dry up completely during the dry season, he said

Anu Muhammad, professor of economics at Jahangirnagar University, told bdnews24.com the Tipaimukh dam and Fulertal barrage would spell "a great disaster."

"Arable land will decline and production of crops fall, leading to a rise in poverty," he said.

According to some reports, the proposed Tipaimukh dam across the river Barak in the Indian state Monipur will 162.5 metres high and 390metres long to create a reservoir by permanently submerging some 2.75 square kilometers of land.

India expects to generate around 1500 megawatt of hydropower from the project.