Govt's dream of 5 Star Hotel may end up in Court
Residents look for legal remedy
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 12 2011: Strongly opposing the eviction served on the residents of Naga river colony by the Government to make way for a 5 Star Hotel, the residents have decided to move the Court against the eviction notice.

The residents all belonging to different communities, Meitei, Tangkhul, Nepali, Muslim and Zeliangrong have been demanding that the Government revoke the eviction order since June 6 .

Imphal Hotel was in the red a few years back after suffering huge losses and the State Government had even toyed with the idea of inviting private players to take it over.

Interestingly the plan of the Government is to upgrade Hotel Imphal to a 5 Star Hotel.

The Government's decision comes following the setting up of a 3 Star hotel by a private entrepreneur at Imphal.

“We have been living in this colony since time immemorial and the Government's move to evict us and make way for a 5 Star hotel is akin to breaking the age-old tradition of co-existence in a climate of peace of harmony," charged VS Meenah , chairperson of the colony's women society.

One day hunger strike against the eviction order

To protest the decision of the Government to evict them, the womenfolk of the area staged a one day hunger strike today.

Naga river colony is located adjacent to Hotel Imphal on the East.

“Since the Government has failed to consider our demands we have decided to take the case to the Court," said K Golmei, chairman of the colony.

“We have consulted legal experts for filing the case," he said even as a large number of civil society organisations have backed the colony's residents in their move against the Government's plan.

A memorandum submitted by the colony residents and its surrounding areas to President Pratibha Patil recently said a joint meeting convened by them resolved to protect and preserve the grave yards, tombs and various religious structures in the area.

“The Revenue Commission has failed to understand that there are many more suitablly located sites for the construction of a 5 Star hotel.

On the other hand the unique history of the areas shall not be dismissed," it said.

Uprooting the century old Naga river colony at the cost of constructing a 5 Star hotel is against the public interest and public purpose, it said while urging the President of India to look into the matter and issue appropriate direction to the State Government to set apart the land acquisition process to set things right for ends of justice.

Backing the residents' stir, the Zeliangrong Union, Imphal zone said if the Government wants to convert Hotel Imphal to a 5 Star hotel, the existing area of 5.3 acres occupied by it is more sufficient just as other similar category hotels exists in other States.

Eviction of the colony is not desirable and necessary at all for expansion of the 'ill-managed Hotel Imphal," the Union said in a statement.