HC restrains eviction drive at RF areas
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 05 2018: In a setback to the State Government regarding its ongoing eviction drive in the Reserved Forest areas of the Sate, Single Bench High Court of Manipur today passed an order not to disturb Ngariyan village till a writ petition filed by the villagers before the Court is disposed.

The writ petition was filed before a single bench of the High Court of Manipur, Kh Nobin, by the villagers of Ngariyan village through Senior Advocate M Hemchandra against the State of Manipur represented by the Principal Secretary/ Commissioner/ Secretary Forest and Environment, Manipur, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, Chief Conservator Forest, Division Forest Officer, Central Forest Division and Assistant Settlement Officer (Forest).

The writ petition was filed under Article 226 of the Constitution of India praying to quash and set aside the notice of Divisional Forest officer (Central Forest Division) Manipur on June 6 and any further consequential orders.

The petitioners' counsel submitted before the Court that the petitioners are residents of Ngariyan village, under Keirao Bitra sub-division and they have been residing in the village since time immemorial.

It was submitted that in the year 1990, the villagers of Ngariyan Karpur Sungba village filed a petition before the Court of Assistant Settlement Officer (Forest) Imphal, for de-reservation of their village area from the bounds of Nongmaijing Reserved Forests and a spot enquiry was conducted on December 6, 1990 and it was concluded that Ngariyan Karpur Sungba village is an old village consisting of 60-70 houses.

The Court of Assistant Settlement Officer (Forest) passed an order on December 7, 1990 setting apart Ngariyan village from Nongmaijing Reserved Forest as a separate revenue village.

It was further submitted that quite surprisingly, the Division Forest officer (Central Forest Division) Manipur issued a notice on June 6 this year to selected petitioners stating that they are occupying parts of the Nongmaijing Reserved Forest land by constructing houses and structures after breaking Indian Forest Act and Forest Conservation Act.

N Kumarjit, Advocate General High Court of Manipur submitted that the order passed by the Court of Assistant Settlement Officer (Forest) on December 7,1990 is yet to be verified The single bench after going through the records and hearing the submissions, passed an order directing the State Government and the authorities concerned not to disturb the villagers of Ngariyan village until the writ petition filed by the villagers is disposed by the Court.

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