'Singda dam activities to be banned if Singda Bazar area is affected'

IMPHAL, May 4: All possible support will be extended to all the construction and development works of Singda Dam being taken up by the state government led by the Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh since some days back but the people of Singda New Bazaar Development Committee (SNBDC) will ban all the works/activities of the dam if the development and construction works to improve the conditions end up encroaching or impinging on areas of the committee, dukaan plots and houses.

This was stated at a press meet following a public meeting held at Singda Bazar Panthoibi Lampak at around 11 a.m. The public, along with chiefs of Kadangband and Irengband, the Chief of Kangchup Chiru, Kadangban, leaders of Singda Kadangband Meira Paibi Lup, Singtha Naharol Yaipha Thouni Kanglup and Kadangband Part -1 village committee participated in the meeting.

The resolutions unanimously adopted at the public meeting include the call for no encroachment on areas of land under the Singda New Development Committee, putting pressure on the concerned government officials with regard to it, to appeal for demarcation of reserved forest lands in and around Singda Dam and to take up a fund drive to bear the expenditure for the public agitation.

President of SNBDC, L. Mohendro, Secretary ML Koireng, N Bobi Singh, Pradhan of Lairenkabi Gram Panchayat, S Ibohal Moirangcha etc spoke at the press meet. They said that three representatives of the organizations of the area met with the Chief Minister at the office of his Bungalow on April 29. At the meeting, the Chief Minister had assured that the development and construction works of the dam will not encroach on areas of land of SNBDC, plot and houses.

But during his visit for inspection of conditions of the dam on May 1, he said that the existing gate of the dam will be built 100 metres towards Singda Bazaar and the parking space will be at the area of Singda Bazar after which Deputy Commissioner Pradeep Kumar Jha of Senapati District came along with the police and surveyed the areas of Singda Bazar yesterday.

Maintaining that the area of Singda bazaar has been in existence since 1974 much before the construction work of the dam began, the people belonging to Bazaar area under Kadangband Lairemkabi GP and under Sekmai A/C, the meeting resolved that It cannot be accepted that the houses be shifted.

If the government does not withdraw their move in 3 days, all the activities of the Singda dam will be banned and no visitors will be allowed to enter the dam, the meeting resolved.