Development Injustice: Briefing Tiddim Eviction

Koijam Pushparani *

Buildings cleared for Tiddim Road expansion in June 2014 :: Pix - Hueiyen Lanpao

Socio-economic structures of Manipur centres around Imphal city. The city is thickly populated with vegetable and goods market, media houses and most institutions, owned privately or by public, including schools, offices, the hospitals and banks, located in its proximity. And with the recent upgrading of Imphal Tulihal Airport to an international status, to facilitate the entry of foreign tourists, the state government has shown keen interest in expansion of Imphal city road, particularly the Tiddim road (50 feet on either side of the median), between Keishampat junction and Malom culvert point.

The land acquisition and eviction of buildings for the road expansion was carried out in the general public interests, however, it had varying impacts on the public for whom the interest was taken up, particularly the pattadars living along the main road. Most of the buildings and structures that were demolished include grocery and stationary shops, hardware and pharmacies, vehicle workshops, chai hotels, etc. which sustain livelihood of many directly or indirectly. Many homes were also affected but no alternative place was provided to relocate. Monetary compensation paid for the land acquired was not enough for constructing new buildings, let alone the land value that is lost.

My curiosity with the expansion of Tiddim road arise with the increasing role of government in land acquisition and forced eviction under the aegis of development. There is negligible Rehabilitation and Resettlement or alternative arrangements for the development projects induced displacements in Manipur as was witnessed in the case of forced evictions (three times so far) in Yurembam (Railway and Power projects) in Imphal West, Lei-inkhol evictions (Capitol project) in Chingmeirong, Imphal East and the forced evictions of street vendors at Nagamapal and Khwairamband Bazaar (BT flyover construction) in Imphal West. The cost that the public paid outweighs the benefits that the development projects intended to provide. Land policy has certainly been misused by the state for their own profit motives from the projects.

Coming back to the Tiddim road eviction, some matter of serious concern, include shifting of the electric posts and water pipelines, without affecting the minimal power and potable water supply that the public receive. With no proper drains, Tiddim line, particularly from Keishampat to Thoudabhabok road, and the connecting leiraks are known for the waterlogged and artificial flood during rainy days. Construction of new drainage is another issue with arriving of the monsoon season.

Surrounding walls of educational institutions along Keishampat junction to Malom area have also been demolished. Sega Road government school (now defunct), Ngashi Rashtralipi Government School, Little Flower School, Imphal College etc. have been affected by the demolition. The plan for a four-lane fly over to be constructed over the Keishampat road will be a nightmare come true after witnessing the flyover connecting BT road and Uripok constructed few years ago. Other concerns include increasing heavy traffic without functioning of any traffic lights in the state or even zebra crossings.

The expansion of road in the absence of proper traffic rules is likely to cause frequent road accidents and additional problems for the pedestrians. These are some of the issues we apprehend but how many of us are concern of them? Sadly, very few and except the people who are directly or indirectly affected by the state model of development, the general public is apathetic to the ongoing issues of the state.

Another worry is that the expansion of the main roads may require the widening of the corresponding leiraks which means that another set of land acquisition and evictions is in the line to follow. The leiraks such as Dhobimachu leirak and Leimajam Leikai leirak that connect Tiddim road to Sagolband road or the Top leirak and many other that connect Tiddim road to Mayai Lambi road are in pitiful conditions.

Most of the main roads and leiraks of Manipur are connected to one another, and the problem however lie not with the lack of roads but for lack of proper roads. The renovation of the existing roads and the leiraks could have served the purpose of providing better road connectivity. It is cost effective and is also in the public interest.

Didn't the government have these alternatives in their minds? Such initiative include no eviction and demolition. The state have a long way to go before it reaches the height of development it intends to achieve. And if the state take a leap to accomplish its plans, it is likely to cause development induced injustices and consequently, public dissent. The effectiveness and efficiency of the state's planning and management require careful and critical examination.

It will be significant at this juncture to contemplate what the public seek in a society rather than what the state wants to pursue in the name of public interest. Better society corresponds a comparatively better life. The degree of availability and access to physical and social infrastructures, particularly the basic amenities such as subsidised food grains, electricity and water (including potable), proper roads and drains, transport and communication, and health and education and better employment opportunities, can give us a clue about the quality of life people enjoy in a society.

According to Planning Commission, nearly 47.1 % of population in Manipur was under Below Poverty Line (BPL) in 2009-10. In an impoverished society like ours, one may confine development to fulfilling of these primary needs. And the responsibility lies with the state to ensure the public access to these basic necessities and equal access to the public since cutting off certain sections from the benefits will likely result into divisions within the society for the fight of the resources. Construction of proper road infrastructure in far flung areas should be equally addressed if public interests is the motive. The roads infrastructures, power and water supply, employment, educational institutions and health care in rural areas in valley and hill districts needs equal attention as well. The above features form the base for development in a society. And apparently, our society is in grave scarcity of these features.

The making of a better society, however, cannot be confined to the functioning of the state alone. It is the responsibility of the public alike, which, while remaining vigilant of the activities of the state, should work towards the collective good of the society through proper utilization and sharing of the available resources. Say for instance, the road congestion and heavy traffic is a concern for the public as well. State has its own approach to these problems. However, the sensitivity of the public towards addressing this common issue also requires introspection.

How many of us take the public transport to travel within the state? Education is in a bad shape. With most of the government school and colleges defunct in the state, most of the families now send their kids to private schools and private coaching institutes for better education. Many students go outside the state or abroad for higher studies.

But how many of those parent complaints and make sincere efforts to correct the flaws in the education system in the state and the private educational business. Are not the public equally responsible in eroding the society? Power and health sector are other areas which require great attention of the public and necessary actions, particularly because of the increasing privatization and corporatization of these sectors which is exploitative and unjust in nature. Like the state, has not the public been blind to these common issues?

Development has often been misconstrued in our society, as constructing multi-storey buildings and attractive shopping complexes, and driving luxurious cars in roads not equipped for big automobiles, tourism and beautification of the state, mostly concentrated in Imphal area. State and the policy makers have failed to define development in terms of the social and economic justice of the public.

Destructive projects such as the ongoing Mapithel dam (Ukhrul district), Lei-inkhol eviction for the construction of High Court (Imphal East), proposed Tipaimukh dam and Oil exploration plan (Tamenglong and Churachandpur districts) and the infamous Loktak HEP (Bishnupur district) became synonymous to development. The feasibility of development that is inclusive and just is a far cry. The armed conflicts situation of the state add to the disadvantage.

Development induced eviction and injustice pertains to violation of human rights, particularly the right to adequate housing which is protected by several international organisations and international laws. They are Universal Declaration of Human Rights, UN on development based eviction and displacement, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (art. 11, para. 1), the Convention on the Rights of the Child (art. 27, para. 3), the non-discrimination provisions found in article 14, paragraph 2 (h), of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women, and article 5 (e) of the International Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination. UN on development based eviction and displacement directed the states that the development induced evicted should have the right to alternative land of better or equal quality and adequate housing, i.e. when land has been taken away, land should be compensated.

In a similar way, the Manipur state government can consider compensating the evicted of the Tiddim road expansion and any development induced eviction and displacement with land compensation of better or equal value. Also keeping in view the negative consequences of development projects, the state can take a more humane approach to development.