Tipaimukh dam and its environmental impact on Bangladesh

India's bland assurances are contradicted by a 2005 study by the Institute of Water Modelling (IWM) Bangladesh, which concluded that during a drier monsoon season, when Bangladesh will need water for fisheries and cultivation. Tipaimukh Dam authorities would nevertheless retain 27 percent more water in June, 16 percent in July, 14 Percent in August and 4 percent in September than an average monsoon year. The water retention accordingly would also reduce the navigability of the Barak’s two downstream channels, the Surma and Kushiyara Rivers.

The project ignored the recommendations of the WCD (World Commission on Dams) and India is going ahead with the project; totally disrespecting the calls of the people of Barak valley (people from both upstream and downstream) and ignoring both joint detailed and independent Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), which is required under the Environment Protection Act 1986.

We feel it is abhorrent that there has been no meaningful public consultation and nor are there any Environment Management Plan (EMP) for formulating, implementing and monitoring environmental protection measures (during and after the project) or any Rehabilitation and Resettlement Plan.

The UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination has also urged the government of India not to construct Tipai-Mukh Dam in its concluding observation of the seventieth session from February 19 to March 9, 2007 and in its special communications made on August 15 2008; March 13 2009 and September 23 2009. The Forum further pointed out and urged authorities concerned to follow free, fair and prior informed consent of the people under the ILO Convention 107.

The effects of the Dam:

* The 163m high dam of 1500 MW will submerge more than 286 sq. km of prime farmland;

* One third of Bangladesh and the lives of about fourty million Bangladeshis will be affected;

* In the event of a medium size earthquake in the region, the dam will vanish in minutes and ten million lives will be in danger.

* The Indian Meteorology Department has grouped India into four seismic zones: Zone 2, 3, 4 and 5. Of these, Zone 5 is rated as the most seismically active region. The Dam will be built near the borders of Assam which falls in Zone 5, meaning it is of the highest risk will affect not only Bangladesh, but India as well.

* As per records available, about 16 earthquakes of a magnitude greater than 7.0 have occurred in the Tipai-Mukh region, of which two are the world's greatest earthquakes with magnitudes of more than 8.5.