Railway works halted indefinitely over 'delayed justice'
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, February 21 2023:
The denizens of Marangching and Pongrinlong villages have imposed an indefinite shut down of the ongoing railway construction work in areas under Marangching over the demand for doing justice to the landslide victims of June 29, 2022.The villagers imposed the shutdown from February 20 midnight, decrying failure of the authorities concerned to uphold the MoU signed between the Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR), the state government and the villagers of Marangching and Pongrinlong on July 20 last year.
In a memorandum submitted to the Union Railway minister and the Chief Minister of Manipur on Monday, the village authorities of Marangching and Pongrinlong stated that the authorities concerned have failed to uphold the 9-point MoU signed between the state government, NFR and the affected villagers of Marangching landslide on July 20 last.
In this regard, the village authorities of Marangching and Charoi Pandongba village had submitted an additional memorandum to the state government and NFR on October 31 year, urging for implementation of the MoU.
On December 7 last, the village authority reminded the state government and the NFR authorities in writing to halt the railway works from the day itself.
On January 2, the villagers imposed a shutdown which was later withdrawn on January 11 after assurances from the deputy commissioner of Noney district.
As the assurances came to naught, the shutdown was resumed from January 17 midnight, the memorandum conveyed.
In connection with the shutdown, members of the two village authorities met with the representatives of the state government and NFR at Hill Areas Committee (HAC), Manipur office on January 30 and reiterated their demand.
However, the authorities concerned have not initiated any measures to fulfil the demands till date, it lamented.
In this regard, the memorandum signed by Marangching Village Authority chairman Lanranglung Gondaimei, Pongrinlong Village Authority members Albert Gangmei and Jonathan Malangmei, demanded authorities concerned to compensate and rehabilitate all the landslide affected villagers of Makhuam and Charoi Pangdongba villages.
It further appealed to the authorities for putting the 9-point MoU into action and ensuring justice to the victims of Marangching landslide, while chiding NFR for failing to carry out necessary environmental assessment of the region before carrying out the project.