Policy for agricultural land use in State demanded
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 05 2013:
Demanding a policy on agricultural land use in Manipur and to strengthen section 20 of MLR Act, 1960, a public meeting held at Sangakpham Keithel adopted various resolutions to press the government in this regard.
Organised under the aegis of Locality Areas Protections and Preservation Committee (LAPPC), the public meeting resolved to press the government to take up steps to prevent use of agricultural land for other purposes; to provide financial assistance to farmers to bring green revolution and special provisions to stop renaming existing locality or villages.
Speaking at the public meeting, Advisor of LAPPC Dr Moirangthem Manimohon said that even though Manipur has a history of self-reliance in term of food production, today the State has become dependent on imported food items following ever increasing occupation of agricultural land for other purposes like building schools, colleges, government offices and brick fields.
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Manimohan pointed out that among the various villages in the state which are facing such problems, the four villages namely Kontha Ahallup, Meetei Kairang, Lairikyengbam Leikai and Laipham Siphai are most affected with all the agricultural tracts now being occupied for various purposes including settlement.
Among them again, Laipham Siphai is the worst affected village with all of its agricultural fields occupied for settlements.
All the fields have been divided into localities for hill people with new names like Kuki Veng, Naga Avenue, Nagaram and the name and originality of Laipham Siphai has been lost.
Even though the new villages are recorded as agricultural tracts in the government record, one could not find any piece of agricultural field in the area, he added.
Manimohan announced that the Committee would be launching various forms of agitations, if the government failed to respond to their demands.
Chairman of Life Watch Angomcha Araba; President of PANDM Yumnamcha Dilip, Advisor of Chingarel Kanba Lup Tharoijam Dhiren and Social Activist Yumkham Shantalal were also among those who spoke at the meeting.