Village chief alleges forceful land acquisition for sports varsity

From Our Correspondent

KANGPOKPI | July 26

Village chief of L. Tangnaum, previously known as Haraothel expressed his apprehension over the controversial issue of the construction of National Sports University, which could affect hill-valley relationship.

Vaiphei, Chief of L. Tangnaum village also blamed the state government and the authority concerned for the unwanted development and the alleged intimidating policy of acquiring land for the proposed university.

He continued that recently some persons from the neighbouring villages have been destroying the hills and forest plantation of L.Tangnaum (Haraothel) without any official authorisation. On July 23 a large track of hills and forest plantation was damaged by using heavy machineries taking away all the timbers without any authority and ran way with their machineries when L.Tangnaum villager chased them, he said.

He said that establishment of National sports varsity at Koutruk, Senjam Chirang and Sejam Khunou which will be an asset to the sports lover of the state is under threat of an early extinction even before the bill for the establishment of the varsity has been introduced in the Parliament owing to the highhandedness of some vested individuals.

He recalled that initially everybody welcome the idea of establishing the sports varsity at Koutruk, Senjam Chirang and Sejam Khunou and even they offered to donate land for the same but when large area of the location falls within the village of L. Tangnaum (Haraothel) the villagers raised strong objection against donating their land.

The villagers of L. Tangnaum are not against the establishment of the varsity but if any portions of their lands are to be affected, they demand the government to follow due process of law and go for land acquisition, H. Vaiphei said while adding that the villagers of L. Tangnaum had been unfortunately portrayed as anti-sports varsity. 

While accusing the state government for the entire misunderstanding by playing with the emotion of the innocent people, H. Vaiphei elucidated that the government had stealthily issued an allotment orders on December 28, 2016 allotting 325.60 acres of land to the director, Youth Affairs & Sports, Manipur which include 137.62 acres of village land of Haraothel, now L.Tangnaum under Dag.No.1 of village No.47-Koutruk.

He also alleged that the allotment orders were never published in the official gazette and its existence has been kept in the dark while adding that L.Tangnaum is a recognised hill village within Sadar Hills, now Kangpokpi district and any allotment is subject to the provision of Section 4(1) of the Manipur Legislative Assembly (Hill Areas Committee Orders, 1972 and the provisions of Section 29(1) (xiv) of the Manipur Hill Areas District Councils Act, 1971.

In fact, the revenue department has no authority regarding allotment of lands of Hill villages but it can acquire the same, H. Vaiphei asserted while cautioning that the government’s policy could ultimately lead to animosity between the people of hills and plain which could also derail the establishment of the sports varsity at the present location.

He asked the government as to why the allotment orders is not publishes in official gazette and on what ground the land of hill villages has been included in the allotment Orders issued by the revenue department in violation of the provisions of the related laws instead of going for land acquisition process.