Eviction drive begins at Waithou, relief camp set up
Source: Chronicle News Service
Thoubal, June 12 2022:
Eviction of encroachers from protected forest areas began from Sunday with dismantling of 69 structures built on the encroached land of Waithou Protected Forest.
In can be mentioned that DC Thoubal in an order issued on June 9 had cancelled all the 'Patta/Jamabandi' and land allotment orders possessed by the owners of these buildings with Thoubal Forest Division divisional forest officer (DFO) Th Lokendro Singh, subsequently issuing an order on June 10 directing the owners to dismantle their respective buildings by 5 pm of Saturday.
The order cautioned that non-compliance with the notice will lead to the authorities razing them down without prior information.
In accordance with the order, teams of Forest Department in the presence of large number of personnel of Thoubal district police, special commando unit, Imphal East commando team and Kakching commando team started, razing buildings, which had not been pulled down by the owners, by using excavators from 7 am on Sunday.
Speaking to media persons in connection with the eviction, DFO Th Lokendro elaborated that the eviction drive was carried out by teams comprising 20 forest staff each using excavators.
He informed that the Department had served notices to owners of 71 buildings, out of which 69 were dismantled on Sunday.
Waithou area has presence of 180 encroachers, out of which 69 houses were evicted for the first phase, while rest will follow suit.
The DFO continued that the eviction drive will soon began against encroachers at Thongam Mondum, Gwarok and other Protected Forest areas.
He also thanked the house owners for co-operation during the eviction process by dismantling their structures themselves and allowing peaceful eviction as well as police for providing support.
The eviction drive was also assessed by chief conservator of forest L Joykumar, additional chief secretary MH Khan, SP Thoubal Jogeshchandra Haobijam, DC Thoubal A Subash and other Forest Department officials.
As several civilians were rendered homeless on Sunday following the eviction drive conducted by the district administration of Thoubal and DFO Thoubal in Waithou protected forest area, local people of Lilong Sangomsang and Usoipokpi have set up a relief camp at Lilong Haoreibi College Hostel on Sunday.
Around 100 people of both Meetei and Meetei Pangal communities, whose houses were dismantled on Sunday, are staying in the relief camp.
Interacting with the media, Md Mahibur and Naorem Ibemma, who are among the affected people, appealed to the chief minister to make an arrangement for their rehabilitation and resettlement.