Rehab plans on for evicted families
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 29 2022: Chief Minister N Biren Singh has assured that the State Government will provide arrangements for rehabilitation if any of the 69 families whose houses were dismantled in eviction drive in Waithou don't have any other land.

He also stated that the Government has directed the Revenue Department and the DC concerned to see if rehabilitation is required for any of the families whose houses have been dismantled.

N Biren made the statement on the fifth day of the second session of Manipur Legislative Assembly during the discussion of five demands for grants amounting over Rs 3607.43 crore.

Clarifying the policy cut motion raised by Opposition MLA K Meghachandra on demand for Environment and Forest, N Biren stated that the eviction drive at Waithou was conducted after going through all the legal procedures.

Saying that the Government has been serving notice to these 69 families since 2015, the Chief Minister stated that some of the families lodged a complaint to the High Court in April and as such they couldn't deny the notice served to them.

The Chief Minister also stated that he feels pity for the affected families and understands their plight but the State could not be run by emotion.

He also appealed to the Opposition party to not politicise the issue and added that an eviction drive for encroaching Forest land has begun in Heingang AC.

While discussing demand pertaining to Medical, Health and Family Welfare Services, N Biren stated that there is a policy to give pri-orities to doctors, nurses and paramedics who were engaged during the height of Covid pandemic by the State Government in fresh recruitment.

Responding to a query raised by Congress MLA Surjakumar Okram, the Chief Minister stated that the Government is planning to keep at least one grazing ground for ponies in all the districts of Manipur.

In truth, these ponies are not reared by the Government, he said and added that the number of horses in Manipur including ponies was reduced from 2327 in 2016 to 1087 including 971 ponies in 2019.A grazing ground with stable attached has been erected at NIT campus in Langol and similar construction is underway at Pangei and Heingang, N Biren added.

The State has also taken up certain other measures to protect the ponies of Manipur.

Health Minister Dr S Ranjan, Labour Minister H Dingo, Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip, Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Minister Khasim Vashum and Forest and Environment Minister Th Biswajit also responded to the observation and policy cut motion raised by the MLAs.

Comment