Villagers demand reason for expelling residents
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, September 16 2022:
Alleging village authority of Ichum Keirap village of conspiring against some families of the village and submitting a petition to the chief minister, Governor and district administration for expelling those families, the residents of village have demanded to know the reason for the VA's action within three days.
Interacting with the media, village elder T Songkholet informed that there were only about 10 households in the village in the past.
In 1962, the then village authority requested Mongkotyang village in Tamenglong to allow some families to shift there stating that the village (Ichum Keirap) is experiencing frequent theft incidents and they could not face the situation due to small number of residents.
Consequently, 12 families moved and settled there.
Later, in 1993, residents of Mongkotyang, Songphel and Taita villages of Tamenglong district fled their home and took refuge in Ichum Keirap.
Shortly, the village authority agreed to co-habitat.
The agreement was made with the knowledge of the then Governor and since then, they have been living peacefully for around 30 years, he said.
Unfortunately, in the last couple of years, few members of the village authority started classifying the villagers into two groups as old settlers and new settlers, while trying to expel 49 households who came later in the village.
They even filed a petition to the chief minister, Governor, DC and SDO concerned.
They have also been obstructing in the livelihood activities like farming and collecting firewood from the forest areas, he said.
Demanding to know the reason for their action within three days, T Songkholet warned that those conspiring to expel the 49 households should be held responsible for any unwanted consequences that may occur in the village.