Tipaimukh Dam Project: We have to Protest

I am frustrated. I am frustrated because at this moment I am not being able to do anything but to write. Will writing solve this great problem of ours? Will writing solve any problem of ours?

After the project of Farakka Dam, India is starting another similar project which is equally (if not more) dangerous for the ecology and Bangladesh. India has taken Tipaimukh Hydro Electric Project in hand. It involves creating a dam in an international river- Barak, in the state of Manipur, just 200 km away from the Bangladesh border. According to international laws, without the permission of the downstream river nation, one country can not control the flow of a multination river. But it is very sad that India cares little about what Bangladesh has to say about this issue. They proceeded with their plans without even consulting Bangladesh.

E-Pao lists the consequences of building this dam in this location:

1. A total land of 826.20 sq. km will be submerged for ever.
2. More than 40,000 people will be rendered landless.
3. Eight villages situated at the Barak Valley will be completely underwater.
4. About 27,242 hectares of cultivable land will be lost.
5. Increase in salinity of ground water will be unsafe for drinking thereby causing a lot of problems to the people.
6. Many more at the E-Pao site.

If India builds the dam on the River Barak, the water-flow of the River Meghna in Bangladesh will be hampered in a great deal. This will dry up 350 km long Shurma and 110 km long Kushiara River. As a result the north eastern Bangladesh will face severe environmental and economical consequences. It is considered that Sylhet, which is full of flora and fauna, will turn into a desert if this dam is built. Thousands of people and many organizations form the both countries are protesting against this project as it is a great threat to the ecology. Another thing to know is that there had been major earthquakes (8+) in the last 50 years on the location of the dam. But Indian government is going ahead with this project as they planned.

As bloggers the minimum thing to do is to write posts about this issue and create a mass protest against it. I invite all the bloggers across the world especially in Bangladesh and India to raise their voice against this injustice. Let’s fight legally to save the thousands of people, their lands and the environment.

What can we do as bloggers, readers and responsible persons?
1. Write a blog post. If you write a post about this issue I’ll be happy to read your post and link back to some posts.
2. Sign an online petition.
3. Join the Facebook group on this issue.
4. Any suggestions?



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Further reading (outside links):
No to Tipaimukh Dam
Damned Hearings of Proposed Tipaimukh Dam
Amra Tipaimukh Badher Biruddhe (bangla blog)

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