ALLAFUM condemns NHPC’s move to extend Loktak Hydro Project

The All Loktak Lake Areas Fishers Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) vehemently condemns the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited’s (NHPC) arbitrary move to seek the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change, Government of India’s approval to extend the Loktak Hydroelectric Power Project (Loktak Hydroelectric Multipurpose Project) for an additional 25 years. This decision, taken without the involvement or consent of the Manipur Government and the thousands of fisher and farmer families affected by the Loktak hydro project since its inception in 1983, raises serious concerns.
In a press release signed by its secretary, Oinam Rajen Singh, ALLAFUM questions NHPC’s motives, particularly its failure to inform crucial stakeholders such as the Loktak Development Authority, the Manipur Government, and the Loktak fishing community, who are directly impacted by this initiative. The press release underscores the need for addressing four decades of ecological and human disasters resulting from the Ithai Barrage, a man-made structure that has been a contentious issue between project managers and the people of Manipur for nearly forty years.
The release emphasizes the imperative for NHPC to clarify its stance on the rehabilitation and resettlement of the thousands of individuals affected by the project. Furthermore, ALLAFUM demands an explanation on how NHPC plans to restore the Loktak Project’s near-natural status and mitigate the adverse effects caused by the Ithai Barrage. The release highlights the urgency of addressing the declining fish population in Loktak Lake, directly linked to the Loktak hydro project, which has led to severe repercussions such as siltation, pollution, eutrophication, and the depletion of native vegetation with food and fodder value.
ALLAFUM makes it unequivocally clear that unless NHPC addresses these critical issues, it cannot proceed with its plans to extend the lifespan of the environmentally destructive Loktak hydro project. The people of Manipur have borne the brunt of this project, and the lake-dependent communities should not endure further exploitation for an additional two decades and beyond.
The press release further emphasizes that the Loktak fishing community is grappling with the acute decline in fish population, directly attributed to the Ithai Barrage of the Loktak hydro project. Loktak Lake is witnessing alarming levels of siltation, pollution, and eutrophication, with the native vegetation of significant food and fodder value disappearing rapidly. The release concludes by urging the Government of Manipur to address the grievances of the affected people before considering any move to extend the Loktak hydro project or allowing NHPC to proceed without taking the concerns of the people into confidence.