IMPHAL, Oct 30 - The Thoubal Multi Purpose Project, which was approved by Planning Commission way back in 1980, will see the light of day before this year-end. Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi said this during an interview aired by AIR Imphal on Sunday morning.
�The government is ready to commission the project by November or December this year,� said the Chief Minister while responding to a question during the interview. �Once the project is commissioned, it will not only provide irrigation facilities but will also provide drinking water to the greater Imphal area for the next 30-40 years�, he said.
He, however, expressed concern about another important project � Dolaithabi Barrage project which is targeted to be inaugurated soon. The project envisages diverting the flow of Iril river to irrigate 5,500 hectares of land in Imphal East district.
Thoubal Multi Purpose Project built at Maphou over the Thoubal river aims to provide 10 million gallons of water daily to Imphal and irrigate over 17,500 hectares of land, besides generating 7.5 MW of power.
The dam which has submerged a large area of paddy fields and forests,was meant to irrigate the Thoubal Valley which is considered the rice bowl of Manipur, besides providing drinking water to State capital Imphal and adjoining areas.
The project was a mid-1970 plan of the Manipur Government and work began in the early 1980s under the Irrigation and Flood Control department.
But, due to bandhs and blockades, there had been obstructions in bringing materials for construction from outside the State. The Project was approved by Planning Commission in 1980 at an estimated cost of Rs 47.25 crore. The latest estimated cost is Rs 982 crore.
