"Sports varsity threatens Hills -Valley ties"
Source: The Sangai Express

Kangpokpi, July 26 2017: Village chief of L Tangnaum, previously known as Haraothel, has expressed apprehension over the controversy surrounding the construction of National Sports University and added that if not dealt with properly, it may put a strain on hill-valley relationship .

The village chief, H Vaiphei alleged that recently some persons from the neighbouring villages destroyed the hills and plantation of L Tangnaum (Haraothel) without any official authorization and on July 23 a large area of the hills and forest plantation was damaged by using heavy machineries taking away all the timber without any authority .

Those people ran way with their machineries when L Tangnaum villager chased them, he added .

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

H Vaiphei also recalled that initially everybody welcomed the idea of establishing the sports varsity at Koutruk, Senjam Chirang and Sejam Khunou and even offered to donate land for the same but when they came to learn that a 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 portion of their land are to be affected, they demanded 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 when the misunderstanding occurred over the issue .

While accusing the State Government for creating the misunderstanding by playing with the emotions of the people, H Vaiphei elucidated that the Government had issued an allotment order on December 28, 2016 allotting 325.60 acres of land to the Youth Affairs and Department, Manipur which include 137.62 acres of village land of L Tangnaum under Dag.No.1 of village No.47-Koutruk .

He also alleged that the allotment orders was never published in the official gazette and its existence has been kept in the dark while adding that now L Tangnaum is a recognized 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 order, 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 land of hill villages but it can acquire the same, H Vaiphei asserted while cautioning that the Government’s policy can lead to animosity between the people of hills and the valley which could also derail the establishment of the much awaited sports varsity at the present location.

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