Bangladesh is powerless when it comes to the decisions India makes that affects our borders. This will have an adverse effect on 40 million Bangladeshis and threaten their livelihood.
Sign Petition to the UN to Stop Tipaimukhi Dam
http://www.change.org/petitions/united-nations-tipaimukh-dam-must-be-stopped#share
The UN Committee on Elimination of Racial Discrimination has urged the government of India not to construct the Tipaimukh 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 urged authorities concerned to follow free, fair and prior informed consent of the people under the ILO Convention 107.
The 163m high dam of 1500 MW will submerge more than 286 sq. km of prime farmland upstream and dry up a huge area of wet land. One third of Bangladesh and lives of 40 million Bangladeshis will be affected.
India is certainly violating international laws and conventions. The Tipaimukh dam project is violating United Nations:
1. Helsinki Rules (1966)
Every country with Common River must consider the usage of water in a way that does not affect any countries’ economical and social environment. Consideration must be given to the total harm it might bring on the affected countries.
2. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Non-Navigational Uses of International Watercourses (the UN Convention), adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 21 May 1997. Aims at ensuring the utilization, development, conservation, management and protection of international watercourses, and promoting optimal and sustainable utilization thereof for present and future generations.
3. UNEP Convention on Biological Diversities, 1992
Every Country is resolute to preserve the environmental and biological atmosphere of the world.
4. Ramsar Convention on Wet Lands 1971, arranged by the UNESCO
Every Country in the world is committed to safeguard water reservoir for the preservation of Aquatic ecosystem and natural environment.
5. World Commission on Dams (WCD) 1998, Established by World Bank and IUCN
If any country wants to build any big Dam it must consult with the inhabitant of that river basin so that the project is acceptable to them (It has to be stressed that this acceptance must be by the people of that basin not by the government).
N.B: If any Dam is higher than 15 metres and can contain more than 3 million cubic metres of water, the World Commission on Dams considers it a big Dam. It has to be noted especially here that the Tipaimukh Dam will be 11 times higher and will contain 500 times more water than the concept of big dam above.
The Tipaimukh Dam project must be cancelled, and let the river run free and be with us. Let us do the right thing for ourselves, for our future generations and for our natural heritage.
United Nations must oversee the whole matter and initiate the establishment of a regional water commission with affected country and ensure rightful water supply for Bangladesh.
Very dangerously the Tipaimukh dam is situated in one of the world’s most active earthquake zones. In 1890 there was a 8.7 rector scale earthquake and it’s usually repeat every 100 – 200 years. If the dam vanishes, 10 million lives will perish.
Please sign this petition to urge The United Nations to get involved to stop India from building the Tipaimukhi Dam.
http://www.change.org/petitions/united-nations-tipaimukh-dam-must-be-stopped#share
Why This Is Important
For more on the harmful effects and violations of international laws, please visit:
http://www.farakkacommittee.com/tipaimukh-dam.php
http://priyo.com/forum/2012/jan/14/19655-potential-impacts-tipaimukh-dam-haor-region
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=214780
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=214928
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=215226
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=215653
