LOUSAL president appealed to chief minister N Biren Singh to strictly enforce the Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland (MCPL&W) Act, 2014 for the future of Manipur and restrict illegal structures at Kairang Loukol which falls under chief minster’s Heingang Assembly Constituency.
TFM Report By Keisham Donny
Mutum Churamani, president of LOUSAL and member of district level monitoring committee, Imphal East under the Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland (MCP&L) Act, 2014, has appealed to chief minister N Biren Singh and the responsible authorities to look into the construction of illegal structures in the paddy fields of Kairang Loukol, one of the most productive farm soil areas in Manipur.
“The Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014, an act to conserve the paddy land and wetland and to restrict the conversion or reclamation thereof in order to promote growth in the agricultural sector in the state of Manipur, came into force on September 2, 2014. However, till date the Act has not been implemented on a serious note”, Churamani pointed out.
A written complaint against encroachment of the paddy field of Kairang Loukol was submitted to the chairman of the local level monitoring committee of Laipham Khunou Zila Parishad in June 2021, but till date no action has been taken up. On the contrary, illegal construction within Kairang Loukol continues unabated, he said.
An individual from Kairang Mamang Leikai had again installed foundation soils for a house construction in the middle of Kairang Loukol a few days ago, he alleged. When formal complaints had fallen on deaf ears,Churamani felt it necessary to highlight the issue through media and also appealed to everyone to do the same if such illegal constructions take place.
Churamani alleged that there might be a nexus between land brokers, gullible local residents and the powers that be which resulted in the constant rise in the number of new settlers who are engaged in constructing illegal structures on paddy fields of Kairang Loukol. He further said the case for Kairang Loukol is not an exception and the modus operandi had been replicated in other areas where illegal constructions take place.
Churamani has also lauded chief minister N Biren Singh’s vociferous public statements in connection with the conservation of paddy land, illegal constructions and land encroachers in Manipur. “However, it is up to the Biren led government’s political will, to translate the matter into action rather than to confide it in the realm of political rhetoric”, he added.
Churamani appealed to CM Biren to prioritise the issue of Kairang Loukol which is under Biren’s Heingang Assembly Constituency and to strictly enforce the Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014 for the future of Manipur.