Landowners refuse direct purchase policy, caution Government of agitation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 02 2018: Affected pattadars/landowners (Lilong to Wangjing) in the acquisition of land along the National Highway No 102 (Imphal to Moreh) for highway expansion on Saturday cautioned the State Government that it will launch stringent agitation if the Chief Minister failed to hold a meeting with their representatives before June 15 .

The caution was issued by the United Action Committee of the affected landowners during a meeting at Wangjing, Thoubal Saturday.

The meeting organised by the United Action Committee of the landowners discussed the various grievances and details of the expansion of the highway.

Refuting the direct purchase policy of the State Government, Ngangom Chalamba, secretary of the committee, at the meeting, appealed the Government mat it should follow the Land Acquisition Act and should compensate fair.

"If the Government wishes to go ahead with the direct purchase policy, then both the party, landowner and the Government, should sign a deed of agreement," he said.

The acquisition of the land should be done fair and square.

Land should be acquired equally from both sides of road (50 feet from the median to each side of the road), he said.

In addition, the meeting took several resolutions and reiterated its earlier stand on compensations entitled to the landowners.

For standing properties, the Government must settle the amount to be compensated considering both the costs of building and destroying the same.

The Government should reproduced the lists containing details of land to be acquired along with names of the owners in newspapers, appealed the committee.

Chairman of Committee on Human Rights Phunindro Konsam, Associate Professor JNU Dr Amar Yumnam and CRA Manipur's Jeeten Yumnam attended the meeting presided by the president of the United Action Committee W Ibopishak.

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