The Kaladan Movement group has urged the Government of India, Myanmar and India’s ESSAR Company to bring clarity on the Kaladan project for the benefit of the local people. A statement by the group on 11 June pointed out that there is no proper information about the consequences of the Kaladan multipurpose project to respective local people, although the Myanmar and the Indian government have been working on the project for about four years.
“Although it has been four years now , no information about the consequences of the Kaladan project on the environment and highway are available to the local people. That’s why we request the governments of
India and Myanmar to clarify the issues involved,” said Salai BawiPi, an official of the Chin Human Rights Organization.
The project was expected to be completed in 2016 on an expenditure of USD 214 million. It will cross Rakhai state, Chin state from Sittwe harbour to Paletwa township to Mizoram northeast state of India via a waterway or road.
Currently, ESSAR, the Indian company is constructing the Sittwe and Paletwa harbours.
“For ESSAR, consulting the local people is the best way for working on this kind of project as the local people are experts in social and environment issues in this area so as to prevent harmful activities from
the project,” said Salai Bawipi.
Meanwhile , the statement claimed that there was no compensation given to the local people of Lawngadu village after using 16 acres of land, owned by 11 persons, the value of which is Kayat 5 lakhs per acre till date, though the company has already promised to pay them.
Kaladan Movement group is one of the allied groups affected by the Kaladan Multi-transit Project on the issues of human rights, social issues, business and environment. In the group, Arakan River Network (ARN), Chin Human Right Organization (CHRO) and Zo Indigenous Forum (ZIF) are also included.