Imphal, March 05: A large number of people today staged a protest sitting at the main gate of Manipur University against the initiative of the State Government to take over Phumlou Konjil agricultural fields further expansion of the Manipur University campus.

During the protest sitting which continued till 3 pm, no vehicle was allowed to enter inside the MU campus through its main gate.

The protesters also held placards which read as, "Government should not snatch our agricultural lands", "Expand MU campus to the hills", "Don't acquire surrounding agricultural fields of MU" etc.

In a press release, the Phumlou Konjil Loukon and Heibok Hill Land Protection Committee which organised the protest sitting asserted that the Government's initiative to acquire Phumlou Konjil agricultural field which is producing rice worth Rs 60 lakhs annually and providing livelihood to about 15,000 people is a grave mistake.

Quoting the reported statement of former Vice Chancellor that the then existing area of 200 acres would be enough for Manipur University even when the MU was converted to a central university.

But now the MU has 285 acres and there is no need to acquire more agricultural fields, observed the Committee.

In case there is genuine need for more lands, construct multi-storeyed buildings or locate some Departments in hill districts.

Such arrangement would also help in promoting integrity of the State, it noted.

At a time when the whole country has resolved to protect agricultural lands, the Government's initiative to acquire agricultural fields in the name of development sounds most absurd and lacks rationality, it remarked.

The Committee further urged the Government to drop its initiative to acquire agricultural fields for expansion of MU campus.

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