Civil bodies denounce DC Kpi notice on quarrying, mining
Source: The Sangai Express
Kangpokpi, April 09 2022:
Denouncing the notifications issued by Deputy Commissioner Kangpokpi over quarrying, sand/stone mining, stone crushing, etc in Kangpokpi district, civil bodies under the aegis of Kuki Inpi submitted an objection letter to the DC on April 7 .
On April 5, DC Kangpokpi, Kengoo Zuringla had issued a notification stating that extensive inspection will be taken up in all areas falling in Kangpokpi district by officers and officials of Revenue, Police, Forest and Commerce, and Industries departments to verify the grant of prospecting license or quarrying concession such as proper grant of approval/authorization given by the competent authority for operating quarries, sand/stone mining, stone crushers, etc.
The notification cautioned that any defaulting individuals/firms/agencies operating unauthorized/illegal centres of such nature in the district shall be liable to be penalized under relevant sections of the Manipur Minor Mining Concession Rules, 2012 .
Subsequently, DC Kangpokpi had issued another notification the next day on April 6 informing the District Task Force, Kangpokpi that a meeting will be held on April 7 at the Conference of DC Kangpokpi office for periodical analysis of inspections taken up at various operating quarries, sand/stone mining, stone crushers, etc in the district.
Considering the notifications issued by DC Kangpokpi, civil bodies of the district under the aegis of Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi held an emergency meeting and discussed the matter wherein they unanimously decided to object to the notifications.
In its objection letter, the civil bodies stated that for any developmental work, for the good of the public, all stakeholders should be consulted and the confidence of the people must be accommodated while adding that any such developmental discourse should not be taken up hastily.
It also stated that the poor people depending solely on sand quarrying, who earn minimum wages and live from hand to mouth will starve if the notifications are implemented.
"The revenue department has no authority within the hill districts of the state and the hill district of Kangpokpi, Sadar Hills has its own system of land holding while all land-related matters need to consider the knowledge and approval of the village chiefs through the local self Government, the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council", it added.
"If we are to expedite and support the district administration, all land records must be immediately transferred to its respective DCs", it added.
The civil society organizations under the aegis of Kuki Inpi further appealed to the DC that any matter involving land and forest must always be duly handled by the Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council after consultation with concerned village chiefs and its (village chiefs) apex body Sadar Hills Chiefs' Association (SAHILCA) .
The signatories of the objection letter included the president of SAHILCA, Kuki Inpi Kangpokpi, Kuki Students' Organization Sadar Hills, Thadou Students' Association Sadar Hills, Thadou Youth Association Sadar Hills, Zillai, and Kuki Women Union Sadar Hills.
Comment
