From Our Correspondent
TURA: Upset over the statement made by Parliamentary Secretary for PHE, Noverfield R Marak that the Nokmas have no objection to the construction of the dam at Daribokgre, the Simsang River Protection and Development Committee (SRPDC) has made a claim that it is the Nokmas, villagers, land owners and residents of the Simsang River basin who formed the SRPDC.
General Secretary of SRPDC said that the Committee was formed at a public meeting held at Rombagre Playground on January 12 in order to protect and to save the Simsang River from destruction.
All the participants at the meeting that is the Nokmas, Laskers, Sordars and villagers of Rombagre, Oragitok, Chandigre, Sasatgre, Timbogre, Chokagre, Silchotchigre, Shiwatigre, Mandalgre, Rongsakgre, Mijaligre, Pakwakgre, Romba Adinggre, Chinabat, Bansamgre and more villages agreed and decided to form the Committee to protest the diversion of the Simsang River’s main source at Daribokgre.
“We have already learnt a lesson from what had happened to Didare River at Chandigre. While tapping the water, the Government had promised many developmental works. We got nothing in return but the Didare Riverbed downstream is completely dried out” asserted SRPDC.
SRPDC opined that the fish sanctuaries have all disappeared and the destruction of the Didare River has drastically affected the overall environment of the area.
The Committee also said, the villagers will not allow the destruction of the Simsang River in the same way that Didare River was destroyed.
Furthermore, SRPDC mentioned that the Nokma of Daribokgre was lured with false promises and deceived into signing an agreement for construction of the dam. However, the concerned nokma was later shot dead by unknown miscreants.
“We also know that the environmental governance has failed in our country and when people rose against environmental degradation; their demands are rejected instead of being taken into account” stated SRPDC.