Biren vindicates, justifies eviction drive
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 22 2023:
Categorically stating that the dismantling of 17 houses which were constructed inside the Churachandpur- Khoupum protected forest area illegally was carried out in the interest of future generations, Chief Minister N Biren has warned that no one should try to add communal colour to the Government's welfare activities.
Referring to media reports in which a few organisations tried to interpret the eviction drive on communal line and portray the same action of the Government as violative of Article 371(C), N Biren stated that the State Assembly ought to condemn the attempt to communalise the act of evicting unlawful encroachers.
Speaking on the floor of the State Assembly during zero hour today, N Biren said that construction of 17 houses at K Songjang and Aimang inside the protected forest area started in 2021 .
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The total reserved forests and protected forests constitute just 6 per cent of the State's geographical area and the Government has been working to save this small area, he said.
It was rather unfortunate that a few organisation were trying to portray the eviction drive in a very bad light as if it was carried out without serving any prior notice, he remarked.
Categorically stating that construction of houses inside the protected forest area was not permissible, a show case notice was served on August 10 last year but there was no reply.
Subsequently, a notice cum reminder was sent on January 30 this year.
This time, the Government authorities received a reply but it was devoid of any merit.
Thus a notice was issued on February 10 asking the encroachers to vacate the protected forest area within seven days.
As the encroachers failed to vacate the protected forest area within the stipulated period, they were evicted on February 20, Biren told the House.
He asserted that there were no procedural lapses.
Biren further said that the Government has no authority to go against the law or the Constitution of the country.