Defying HC order, State Govt starts eviction of phumdi-huts
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, February 23 2013 : Loktak Development Authority (LDA), which is under the Chairmanship of Chief Minister O Ibobi, has alleged started destruction of phumdi-huts from Loktak Lake defying the order of Gauhati High Court.

On February 16, the Gauhati High Court had issued an order prohibiting clearance of phumdi-huts from Loktak Lake and made it clear that necessary legal actions would be initiated against the Chairman of LDA, which happens to be none other than Chief Minister O Ibobi himself; the Project Director of LDA, Deputy Commissioner of Bishnupur district and its SP, if the court order is not abide by.

Villagers dwelling in phumdi huts of Loktak Lake informed media persons that a police team led by OC of Moirang Police and accompanied by EE Kumarjit of LDA, Gunamani and Shivadon arrived at Langolshabi area in Loktak Lake along with a Water Master Classic-3 at around 9 am yesterday and began destroying the phumdi huts.

By that time, most of the phumdi dwellers were out for their daily work.

Defying HC order, State Govt starts eviction of phumdi-huts

The team completely destroyed the hut of Haobijam Premkumar (33), s/o H Thonglen.

Later, when the team began destroying another hut belonging to Haobojam Bino (47), s/o late H Proton, the villagers came forward and tried to stop the team from further destruction to other phumdi huts.

Sensing danger, police began firing some round of gun shots (villagers claim that it was real bullet, though the police say it was just tear gas shell) to disperse the crowd.

One Salam Memcha (55), w/o Bino fainted in the ensuing melee, the villagers added.

The eviction process slowed down a bit after the intervention of the villagers and a negotiation was brought about between the two groups.

During the course of the negotiation, EE Kumarjit told Oinam Rajen, Secretary, All Loktak Lake Area Fishermen Association, who had filed a case in the Gauhati High Court against clearance of phumdi huts by LDA, that "filing a case against LDA from clearing of phumdi huts will not save the phumdi huts,instead go to our respective MLAs who got elected from Loktak Lake area", the villagers recalled.

The villagers further recalled that before leaving around 12.30 pm, EE Kumarjit even threatened them that next time, LDA would with an order to burn down all the phumdi-huts.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, a fisherman named Yaima (70) said that fish farmers settling along Loktak Lake have been in this profession since the time of their forefathers and they are not acquainted with any other profession.

"So any disturbance in the line of acquiring our daily bread would give a serious blow," he declared.

It may be mentioned that Gauhati High Court had passed orders on two occasions prohibiting LDA from clearing and burning of Phumdi-huts from Loktak Lake.