Proposed Ring road protested
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 23 2014:
A sit-in-protest was staged against the Government's plan to consturct Greater Imphal Ring Road at Thangmeiband Neikanlong today.
The protest was jointly staged by Neikanlong Village Authority, Neikanlong Women Welfare Association and Joint Action Committee Against the Proposal of Imphal Ring Road.
VA Chairman Thaithui Rongmei said that it is condemnable to propose eviction of the people of around 700-800 households for the construction of the ring road.
He said that between Tharon and Lanthungching villages, the ring road would affect not only the houses and homestead lands but also many schools, Churches, hospitals, rehabilitation centres of Tharon, Neikanlong, Tarung, Grace Colony, Guigailong, Laimanai, Ramgailong and Lanthungching villages.
Neikanlong Women's Association president M Athon said that the Government's plan is anti-people and it must be revoked immediately.
Saying that the ring road must be constructed outside Imphal area, M Athon said that the proposal of constructing a ring road within urban area might have been developed by some the experts who have not visited other States.
JAC member Panthilu Gonmei said that according to the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency, Resettlement and Rehabilitation under Land Acquisition Act 2013, 70 to 80 percent consent of affected people is mandatory to take up any development work.
He pointed out that it is not right to submit a final report of the project to ADB without conducting any Social Impact Assessment.
He said that although the cost of the ring road construction would be provided by ADB, land compensation would be borne by the State Government.
In this regard, a protester questioned whether the State Government has enough fund to distribute compensation amount to affected families.
Saying that a man, who is a resident of Langol near Shija Hospital, went to a coma after he heard the news of possible house eviction, the protester said that people would collectively launch an intense agitation if the Government does not revoke its decision.