Ibobi says eviction drive along Naga river is not on community lines

IMPHAL, May 22: The eviction process at Kabaw Leikai along the Naga River yesterday is not aimed at creating a rift amongst the different communities residing in the area as the Manipur Government consider all communities equal, said Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh during the Anti-Terrorism Day observation at the Congress Bhavan, BT Raod on Tuesday in commemoration of the 22nd Death Anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The Government had to evict the encroachers from the said area for the extension and modernisation of the Imphal Hotel, the Chief Minister said while adding that the area is “government khasland” and the encroachers were not genuine pattadars and had no valid documents to prove the ownership of the land.

The government has been holding talks on the issue with the residents since the past two years back, he said and added that the residents had also filed a court case on the issue. However, since the land is not patta land, they are unable to produce any genuine documents, he continued.

Even then on humanity ground, the state cabinet had already approved a total of Rs 9 crore to pay compensation to the evicted families for their standing properties, he continued in his address but clarified that there can be no compensation for the land.
 Coming to the issue of the Inner Line Permit implementation demand in the state, the Chief Minister said the state government cannot allow the joint committees on ILP demand to block entry of non-Manipuris into the state.

He continued that the state Assembly had already taken a resolution following which it had appealed the Indian government to implement the system in the state and in such a situation, the government cannot allow the committees to continue with their propose blocking of non-Manipuris from entering the state.

He demanded to know who would take the responsibility if anything bad happens to the Manipuris staying outside the state as a fall-out of blocking any outsiders from entering the state.

Chief Minister Ibobi also said that there are plans to divert the two National Highways passing through the state capital in an effort to lighten the congestion in the Imphal city and further elaborated that the National Highway 2 will be diverted from Koirengei to Canchipur while the National Highway 37 will be diverted from Lamsang towards the direction of the Airport.

He further appealed to the Kuki Students’ Organization to lift its general strike and proposed indefinite blockade called against backlog post for tribals in the appointment of Constables considering the plight of the general public.He said every demand can be sorted out by sitting together and through talks.

The Chief Minister also led the other attendees in taking an oath against terrorism. Today’s observation was also attended by MPCC president Gaikhangam, state Cabinet Ministers, Parliamentary Secretaries, MLAs and representatives of frontal organizations of the party.