COPTAM for maintenance of original dist boundaries
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, December 21, 2013:
The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas, Manipur (COPTAM) has demanded the State Government to maintain the original district boundaries in order to avoid distortion of the existing traditional boundaries and overlapping in administrative functioning of the districts.
Addressing media persons at Manipur Press Club, General Secretary of COPTAM Thangkam Lupheng said that the Committee has been raising several demands for the welfare of all communities residing in hill districts of the State.
While appreciating the decision of the State Cabinet and the directive of Revenue Commissioner to the Deputy Commissioners of Bishnupur, Imphal East and Imphal West to transfer all land records of Churachandpur and Sadar Hills of Senapati district to their respective DC/ADC, Thangkam said that COPTAM is shocked to learn that the DC of Bishnupur, without verifying the fact of the three SDOs, has written to the Revenue Commissioner informing of having no land records to be transferred from Bishnupur to Churachandpur district.
Tangkham further stated that if such case goes on, then many parts of hill districts would be merged into valley districts illicitly.
This problem poses direct threat to the district boundaries as well as traditional systems and institutions like Chieftainship and other constitutionally provided rights and privileges for the tribals.
The official order for transfer of land records of Chandel and Tamenglong districts from Thoubal district and Jiribam ADC is still being awaited, he noted.
The General Secretary further demanded the State Government to hand over the hill police stations controlled by the Valley Police to the hill districts police concerned.
The State Government should withdraw Panchayati Raj Institutions and Municipality from the hill districts of the State including Moreh and make the Autonomous District Councils and Hill Area Committee (HAC) fully functional to look after the developmental needs of the tribal people, Tangkham stated.
The General Secretary further warned that the Committee would launch intense agitations along with several other hill organizations if their demands are not fulfilled by the Government by January next year.