Farmers decry land compensation denial
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, September 23 2011:
Manipur Loumi Lup today announced that farmers of the State will stage protest demonstration on October 8 at Keishampat Junction to highlight plight of the peasant community whose agricultural land have been submerged due to Loktak Hydro-electric Project.
Speaking to news-persons at Irawat Bhavan this afternoon, Manipur Loumi Lup secretary H Ibobi Singh said inspite of submergence of vast tract of prime cultivable land in the periphery of the Loktak Lake the affected farmers are yet to receive compensation or rehabilitation package for the devastation caused to their land.
He recounted that on August 25, 2009 memorandum containing a 15 point charter of demand was sent by the Lup to the Prime Minister drawing his immediate attention and intervention to mitigate suffering of the Project affected farmers.
Another Lup memorandum reminding the PM on the plight of the farmers was handed over on September 7 this year as the first representation failed to evoke any positive response, he maintained.
Regretting that size of agricultural land in the State is diminishing everyday due to construction of houses and other purposes while widespread clearance of forest areas is affecting the environmental condition consequently having negative impact on agriculture activities, he desired that Government of Manipur initiate pro-active measures to preserve agriculture land.