Waiton rallies against 'land encroachment'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 31 2014: Locals of Waiton today staged a sit-in-protest at Waiton ground and took out a protest rally at the locality against alleged land encroachment move of Manipur Police Training Centre (MPTC) .

The sit-in-protest and rally were participated by a large number of people including volunteers of Waiton Ideal Club, Youth Development Association, Meira Paibis and elected leaders of Waiton Gram Panchayat.

Locals said that MPTC has encroached on the village play ground and pond located next to the fencing wall of MPTC.

The rally was taken out up to Pangei Bazar and returned to the village ground again.

The rallyists shouted slogans like, 'We condemn encroachment on play ground and public pond of Waiton' and 'Do not encroach on the land of Waiton' .

Speaking to reporters after the protest rally, Waiton GP Ward Member Pukhrambam Ongbi Surmala said that there were some land disputes between MPTC and Waiton villagers in the past as well.

Saying that the present barb wire fencing was erected after all such disputes were amicably resolved, Surmala said that MPTC has now made a fresh claim that village playground and pond are their land.

Contending that the existing playground and pond are very much essential for the villagers, Surmala said that people of Waiton would fight for their land till the end.

MPTC had already taken 42 acres of land from the village to set up a firing range, she said and added that five innocent children had lost their lives in a sudden blast in the past as they went to the firing range to play.

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