NHRC takes State govt to task over burning floating huts
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 18 2012:
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has grilled Manipur government over burning down of floating huts on Loktak Lake and depriving the fishermen of their main source of livelihood in the name of preserving the Lake.
According to a reliable source, considering the act of burning down of floating huts as gross violation of human rights, NHRC has notified DS Poonia, Chief Secretary of the state to immediately submit a report on the eviction of fishermen by forcibly blazing down their floating huts.
Consequently, the Chief Secretary has directed the Director General of Police (DGP) of the state to furnish a detail report on the arbitrary use of power by the state police forces in evicting the fishermen and burning down the floating huts.
The same instruction has also been given to the LDA.
It may be recalled that officials of LDA along with personnel of Bisnupur District Police and Assam Rifles burnt the floating huts in the name of protecting Loktak Lake on November 15, 2011 .
|
With enactment of Loktak Protection Act, the construction of floating huts on the Lake for settlement purposes has been prohibited.
Before enactment of the Act, the state government listed out 1100 floating huts and passed an order to compensate an amount of Rs 40,000 each for every floating hut.
Accordingly, a notice was issued on November 11 last year by LDA to evacuate the huts by November 16.However, the huts were burnt before the due date.
The source further revealed that burning of 200 huts on Loktak made 950 people homeless.
They took refuge at a Community Hall at Ningthoukhong Makha Leikai during that cold winter season.
When the refugees came to Imphal to lodge complaint with the Chief Minister, police stopped them at Kwakeithel and send them back.
Asian Human Rights Commission had also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister and Home Minister of India.