Leihou Khunnai Kanba Lup (LKKL) has stated that the organisation is all set to launch a movement to remove the Ithai Dam and bring back the natural conditions of the Loktak lake, and appealed to the the various clubs, organisations, Meira Paibis, NGOs and civil bodies to extend support to the organisation.
After the construction of the dam over Ithai Barrage in 1979, around 83, 000 hectares of agricultural land got submerged in water, said a release. Had the people used the land for farming activities, it would have definitely helped in generating massive revenue and helped boost the state economy, it said. The profit from the agricultural land would surely create an independent self-sustaining economy, it said. To create such a self sustaining economy, the Ithai Dam needs to be removed, it added.
The biodiversity surrounding the Loktak lake has been affected and many different species that used to thrive on the lake are no longer visible. The ecosystem of the Loktak lake has been completely destroyed, it said. Meantime, Loktak lake has become a place for contractors to collect crores of rupees in the name of saving the lake. The place has become a den of thieves who pretend to care for the lake, it added.
Moirang, a place once known for producing the largest amount of rice, now has no land left for practicing agriculture, it said. The dam was commissioned by the National hydroelectric project cooperation in 1983 and LKKL seeks to decommission it, the release said.
The time has arrived for the people to reconsider whether the 105 Megawatts Loktak Hydroelectric Project has been providing any benefit to the people of the state.
The Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited (MSPDCL) has been providing electricity to 2.29 lakh consumers from its 45.11 MW, it said. However, the people have not been able to claim themselves as the rightful owner of the electricity produced in the state. No profits are made from the electricity but vast agricultural lands have been laid to waste, it stated.
