Indecisiveness of Govt may lead to boundary disputes
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, May 16 2013: Lack of a clear-cut decision of the State government on proper demarcation of district boundaries is likely to spark off unwanted tension in the State.

Manipur Gurkhas' Welfare Union, with its President RB Chapagain as petitioner, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against inclusion of four Gram Panchayats of Imphal West-I CD Block in Sadar Hills.

The four Gram Panchayats namely 25-Koubru Leikha, 26-Toribari, 27-Kalapahar and 28-Santalabari have been included in Sadar Hills without amending the Manipur Panchayati Raj Act.

The order for the inclusion was passed by the State Cabinet and subsequently published in the Extraordinary Gazette of State government on June 30, 2012 .

Decrying the inclusion of four Gram Panchayats in Sadar Hills, the villagers under the aegis of Manipur Gurkhas' Welfare Union had staged sit-in-protest at different places since July 3, 2012 .

But the authorities concerned have remained silent over the issue despite several complaints, thus compelling the aggrieved villagers to finally move the case to Gauhati High Court through filing of a PIL.

The case was taken up by Justice HNK Singh and RS Reisang on March 8 this year.

After hearing both the sides, the Court directed the officials of RD&PR to file their affidavits regarding the case within three weeks.

Meanwhile, the case was transferred to Manipur High Court and it was taken up by Chief Justice AM Sapre and Justice N Kotiswar on April 2.The Court extended the time period of filing affidavits to three months.

The villagers of the four Gram Panchayats, who are predominantly Nepalis, are now deprived of the benefits under Panchayati Raj as well as under Autonomous District Council.

They have been excluded from the flagship programme of MGNREGS under Sadar Hills ADC for over a year as they are non-tribal.

Parts of Kanglatongbi and Koubru Leikha are also under Sadar Hills ADC.

Way back in 1937, the Durbar of then Manipuri King had reserved the stretch from Sekmai to Kangpokpi as the land for Nepalis, but it got de-reserved in 1946 .

According to Manipur Village Authority in Hill Areas Act, 1955, the areas inhabited by Nepalis have been declared as "Non-tribal Area" .

The petition submitted to the High Court mentioned that Kanglatongbi and the four Gram Panchayats recently included in Sadar Hills came under Panchayati Raj in 1968 much before the establishment of Autonomous District Councils in 1971.The villagers have benefitted from all flagship programmes of Central and State government, but now they are deprived of all these benefits as they neither belong to Panchayati Raj nor ADC which is meant only for the tribal people.

The villagers made a plea to the Court `for review of the State Cabinet's decision and subsequent exclusion of the four Gram Panchayats from Sadar Hills.

It may be noted that all communities can take part in the functioning of Gram Panchayats but the Autonomous District Councils are meant only for tribal people.

The areas of Kanglatongbi, Koubru Leikha, Toribari, Kalapahar and Shantabari come under the purview of MLR-LR Act and hence pattas are issued to land owners.

The indecisiveness of the State government would further aggravate the boundary issues and cause unwanted tensions among different communities.

It is high time for the State government to deliberate seriously on this issue and bring an amicable solution at the earliest.

It may be recalled that Dolaithabi Gram Panchayat which lies at the adjoining area of Saikul constituency was excluded from the recent Panchayati Raj election.

MLA of Saikul constituency Yamthong Haokip had even announced Dolaithabi as part of Saikul constituency.

The recent tension at Saijang and Sailent Village was a fallout of such ambiguous district boundaries, and so the State government should be very sensitive and careful to settle these disputes at the earliest.

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