The IFC Chief Engineer Th Indiramani at his briefing maintained that the water supply component has already been handed over to the PHE department way back in March this year, with a guarantee to deliver a minimum of 40 million litres per day for 365 days. It’s just that they have failed to tap the resources available to them, he said and suggested that the PHE department approach and interact with them in order to tap the full potential of the water supply.
The reaction of the PHE department however is not exactly known.
On irrigation, he said the dam now has the potential to irrigate 2000 hectares of land through its western canal and another 8000 hectares through the eastern canal. To further substantiate his claim, as insisted by the media, he trekked along the canal for about 15 kms. All through the canal that was inspected today, no visible breach was detected. However there are some portions which aroused doubts over its durability as and when the canal water runs in full strength. Nevertheless the CE instructed his staff to immediately strengthen all vulnerable points including those that were pointed out by the media persons.
Significantly the CE had promised to ‘definitely run the canal in advance well before the dam’s inauguration to demonstrate its feasibility.’
On the serious charges of depression and seepage that was levelled by the JAC, the CE admitted that depression indeed was detected on the earthen por- tion of the dam since 2005-06. ‘We have been keenly observing this for the past four to five years, but there was no further depression. In other words it has settled down,’ he said.
The department has even opened the earthen portion where depression was detected to confirm that the earth had settled, he said even as he rejected the claim of seepage on the concrete structure.
‘In a structure like this there always is a negligible flow of water along the concrete slabs which is not visible to the naked eye. It is the accumulation these negligible water on parts of the concrete slab that gave the impression of seepage,’ he argued.
Going by the CE’s explanation today, all technical aspects appears to be all set, except for the power component for which the department has handed out a three point argument for deferring it for the time being.
The arguments include water drawn for power generation would only be wasted as it could not be utilized for irrigation as is the norms in other projects. The power project here is incidental, with the intention of utilizing it only when there are excess resources. And the option of PPP (Private Public Partnership) is not advisable as the intended private partner wants to control power generation at their own whims and not when there is only excess water.
In regards to payment of pending bills of contractors, the CE categorically stated that any liability amount would be cleared for sure. ‘It is just that we are working on doubling bills,’ the CE who wishes to sit-down with the submerged area chief as well in regards to their compensation claims said. ‘I think we have done enough,’ he adds nevertheless.
The CE as well disclose that the centre government have threaten to withhold all funding for other projects in the state as well as translate the last installment they receive into a loan if the department still fails to complete the dam with that installment.
Constructed for over twenty-eight years, Khuga dam’s initial budget was barely 15 crores and supposed to be completed in three working seasons. The expense however by now touches over 381 crores.
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Tribal Women's Place In Markets MTPRM cries foul
IMPHAL, Nov 1: Movement for Tribal People’s Rights, Manipur (MTPRM) has denounced the State Government’s action of not allotting a single seat for tribal women in the newly constructed three markets of Khwairamband Bazar.
In a statement, MTPRM president S Ramhaoleng said that as the market complexes are not constructed to be accommodated by a single community, MTP-RM had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister on December 21, 2009 requesting to allocate necessary seats to the tribal women.
However, till date, the Government has not taken any decision in this regard.
It has been learnt that there is not a single seat lying vacant now and it is also not known under what procedures the allotment had been made as it has not been announced to the public.
Therefore, it can be safely assumed that the seat allotment had been done on pick and choose basis, Ramhaoleng asserted.
The State Government’s action of denying seats to tribal women is nothing less than discrimination and se-gregation on the line of reli- gion and caste, etc and severing of ties with the tribal people, MTPRM observed, while appealing to the State Government to consider the matter seriously in the interest of all the communities settling in Manipur.
