Mizo villagers rally against dams

Aizawl, Sept 28: Hundreds of people representing villages to be affected by the proposed five hydel projects in the northeastern part of Mizoram staged a protest rally against the dams in Aizawl today.

The rally was organised under the banner of Sinlung Indigenous People Human Rights Organisation (SIPHRO), which has been actively spearheading the proposed 1500 MW Tipaimukh dam, to be built on the river Barak in Manipur.

The rallyists submitted a memorandum to the Governments of Mizoram and Manipur and the Government of India, urging them to rethink before implementing the projects.

The memorandum bore the signatures of village council presidents, NGOs and political parties of all the affected 14 villages.

''All our the small and big rivers (Tuiruong and Tuivai - Tipaimukh Dam 1500 MW, Tuivai-210 MW, Serlui-12 MW, Tuivawl-40 MW, Tuirail-60 MW) in Mizoram's Sinlung Hills Development Council areas are proposed to be dammed,'' the memorandum stated.

''When Mizoram requires only 160 MW for its own consumption, the imposition of these projects clearly points to the extermination of our land and people in the name of development,'' the memorandum said.

Moreover, these projects are without the knowledge, consent and approval of the Sinlung Hills Development Council (SHDC) and the Hmar people, it said.

~ United News of India

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