We want 6th Schedule not Smart City : TSA
Source: The Sangai Express / Ninglun Hanghal

New Delhi, November 22 2014 : Thadou Students' Association (TSA), Delhi today staged a demonstration at Jantar Mantar here against the proposed Smart City at Hoalenphai, Moreh in Chandel district.

The youth and students participating in the demonstration raised slogans like "save Haolenphai village" "save our tribal land," "we want 6th Schedule not Smart City" .

In a statement the TSA stated that the Government is acquiring 3000 acres of land at Haolenphai village near the border township of Moreh without prior information and consent of the village chief and the villagers.

Asserting that tribals in the hills have their own system of land holding based on customary and traditional practice, the demonstrators alleged that their customary and community rights have been systematically suppressed and added that the proposed project is an attempt to grab the land of the tribals.

"We need hospitals, colleges and schools, not smart city," Thangpimang Kipgen told The Sangai Express reiterating that the students or the community at large are not against development per se, "but development must be for the people and not for few elites," he said.

He further explained that in the present situation and context, where villagers are dependent on the forest land and forest produce, their livelihood would be wiped out.

On the question of economic advancement in terms of such project, Kipgen argued that if such mega cities come up, none of the villagers would be found there, all the spaces will be occupied by "outsiders," he said.

Demonstrators also cautioned that the proposed lands are areas of thick forest lands.

Destruction of the forest lands will pose grave threat to the eco diversity and environment.

Student demonstrators informed The Sangai Express that the villagers and their chief came to know about the project from media reports.

Just a few days back the Thadou Students' Association had imposed a blockade on all National Highways to protest the decision of the State Government to set up a Smart City.

Meanwhile, a memorandum in this connection was submitted to the Prime Minister.

The memorandum signed by TSA (Ghqs), chief of Haolenphai, Thadou Tribe Council, Kuki Chiefs' Association, All Tribal Chiefs' Forum, Kuki People's Forum and All Tribal Student's Union, Manipur demanded that the Manipur Government offers a public statement and clarification regarding the land acquisition.

100 Smart Cities is a concept of the new Government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The idea and vision of "Smart Cities" came in the aftermath of the closure of the JNNURM projects under the UPA Government in March this year.

Earlier during the Budget session, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had promised an allocation of Rs 7,060 crore for development of the Smart Cities.

Comment