Damn it! Building Tipaimukh dam is not the way forward

Public pressure and disagreement on both sides of Bangladeshi and Indian borders are growing against India’s decision to build highly controversial Tipaimukh dam on the River Barak in Manipur district. Amid mounting international protests, India is still embroiled with its egoistic plan to go ahead with the venture. Burying head in the sand attitude by India is not something new. Wounds are still fresh from the Farakka Barrage fiasco since its construction began in 1961 and later was operational in 1975. As if Farakka Barrage wasn’t enough now we have the Tipaimukh dam. The pain keeps getting worst when another dam controversy goes on, Karl Marx once famously quoted ‘History repeats itself, first as tragedy, second as farce’. Well, it looks like its happening again. However, questions arise why India is so stubborn to build another huge dam, which will undoubtedly affect downstream riparian Bangladesh.

Dig a little deeper then you will get the answers. The present socio-economic and political circumstances in the North-Eastern part [particularly Assam, Manipur & Nagaland] of India are affected by the rebellion of [so called] left-wing activists with over five decades of long history of insurgency. So far central government in Delhi couldn't manage to get a grip on the rise in rebellion by force. Offering 10% free electricity to local people from the Tipaimukh dam project is a dirty trick to calm the situation and along the line it is possible that Bangladesh is on the line of fire in Indian internal political manoeuvring. Maybe it is an over-simplistic view of the current situation. Whatever the real reasons are, it doesn’t make any sense to me why India is so desperate to build a dam, by knowing that the area is one of the most dangerous places on earth for earthquakes and landslides. Honestly, have the decision makers in Delhi gone crazy?

By ignoring all agreements and international laws and conventions on the customary international law of Trans-boundary Rivers and Lakes, India is up for its regional hegemony and dominance in the South Asia, a reckless and irresponsible behaviour only to be confronted if Bangladeshi government wishes to wage an international legal war. India is violating her international obligation under the expressed provisions of the 1996 thirty-year Ganges Water Sharing Treaty signed by the heads of state of Bangladesh and India valid until 2026. India is under an international obligation to respect the provisions of this Treaty in the light of the 1969 Vienna Convention on The Law of Treaties, as it was signed by the heads of state of Bangladesh and India (Khan, 2012).

I wonder why the Central Government in Delhi is not looking into an alternative way to produce electricity in the area. Investment in the renewable energy technologies in India is growing faster than anywhere in the world. India will exceed its Five Year Plan (2007-2012) target, installing 14.2 gigawatts (GW) of renewable compared to its target of 12.4 GW, according to Bloomberg New Energy Finance. The Manipur district has renewable resources in abundance - wind, sunlight and hilly landscapes are a perfect match to harness renewable energy.

However, having said that, the Manipur Renewable Energy Development Agency (MANIREDA) is at the forefront in the promotion of renewable energy technologies the Manipur district. MANIREDA is dedicated to achieve their targets to install many renewable energy technologies, for example providing 10,000 solar water heaters under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Solar Energy Mission, setting up 200 KW solar power plant at Moreh, 165-gram panchayats were electrified and 5736 solar street lighting sets with a capacity of 444 Kilowatts were distributed (Green Technology News, 21 June, 2011), MANIREDA also aims to set up lights, cells, biogas plants and windmills in the region in pursuit of this goal. The heaters that have a capacity of 100 litre per day, cost around 25,000 each, 75 per cent of which will be provided by central and state subsidy (Panchabhutha, 15 July, 2011).

Renewable energy technologies are rapidly spreading all over the subcontinent. However, the idea of building a dam to produce electricity no longer fits ‘going green to save green’ in the 21st century's green movement and environmental consciousness; considering its adverse ecological impacts and the impacts on human health and their livelihoods. In the past, lack of appropriate Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) processes, immature international laws and agreements on trans-boundary water sharing and regional hegemony and dominance of powerful countries were the main reasons why many countries around the world got off the hook as no one was there to oppose them.

The alternative clean technologies are now available to produce electricity and where ever possible country like India should seriously consider endorsing an alternative route. India should be looking into larger scale deployment of renewable technologies to fill the electricity gap in the area. Building the hydroelectric Tipaimukh dam is definitely not the way forward.