IE Hospital site : Govt officials fail to turn up
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 24 2018: Apart from holding a public meeting, a large number of people assembled together and waited for Government officials so that they can show that the site identified for construction of Imphal East District Hospital is free from any controversy.

The public meeting which started at 10 am today was attended by Khundrakpam AC MLA Th Lokeshqre, Pradhans of surrounding Gram Panchayats, land owners and leaders of different women organisations.

Awaiting arrival of Government officials, the meeting was extended till 4.30 pm so that the gathering could hand over deeds/documents of the plot identified for the district hospital to the Government.

But no Government officials turned up.

Strongly condemning the assertion that the plot identified for the district hospital is mired in controversies or contested, the meeting appealed to all concerned not to make such baseless allegation ever again.

One land owner identified as Thokchom (O) RK Lakhisana said that the site where the foundation stone for Imphal East District Hospital was laid in 2011 is considered as the last resting place for her husband late MLA Th Navakumar because he died while inspecting the CHC which still stands at the same site.

"After the election of my son Lokeshore and as a result of his sustained efforts, the CHC was upgraded to the level of a district hospital and even the foundation stone had been laid," Lakhisana said.

It was rather disappointing that the State Government recently announced that the district hospital has been shifted elsewhere, she said.

When brick wall was constructed around the site, there was no objection from the Government.

"The Government offered to pay some amount as compensation based on the rate fixed in 2014 and we accepted the offer but none of the Government agencies concerned sent any official intimation to sign on any gift deed or documents related to payment of compensation", Lakhisana continued.

Whereas the department concerned was delaying its own works, it was wrongly propagated that there are land controversies.

"Irrespective of whether the Government pays any amount or not, we would certainly donate land in the name of my late husband but the district hospital should be constructed without fail", she said.

Decrying that the Health Minister took her name repeatedly, Thokchom Nivedita said that the paddy field registered in her name had been already acquired by the Government.

Saying that she now does not have any piece of land there, Nivedita appealed to all concerned not to project the site identified for Imphal East District Hospital as mired in controversies.

MLA Th Lokeshore said that the meeting was organised in accordance with a message sent through media to Government offices concerned to complete all process of demarcation, signing of agreement and registration.

But no officials of Health and Family Welfare, Revenue and Settlement & Land Records turned up and this is an act of looking down on the people of Khundrakpam AC, Lokeshore said.

Even as the Chief Minister was approached repeatedly to discuss the matter, there was no response, he said.

Saying that he is all prepared to clear all ambiguities over the identified site, if there is any, the MLA appealed to the Chief Minister and the Health Minister to look into the matter.

He further appealed to the local people and the JAC to undertake only democratic modes of agitation.

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