Imphal, February 25, 2010: Demanding 50% of the money given to the landowners as compensation for take over of their lands for the construction of integrated check post at Moreh, activists of KNA, a group included among the Kuki based undergrounds outfits signing Suspension of Operation with the government and HTC allegedly collected bank cheques issued, villagers complained today.

Talking to media persons here at a press conference held at Manipur Press Club in Imphal, chairman of the JAC of Landowners� recently formed, Semjathang Haokip and general secretary Ngamjathang Lumkin said that bank cheques given as land compensation to 400 families affected by the construction of the integrated check post at Moreh on February 18 and 19 last have been collected by the activists of the Kuki National Army and Hill Tribal Council (HTC).

They collected the cheques as soon as the same were handed over to the affected families on the demand of payment of 50 percent of the amount no sooner had the cheques were handed over to them, the JAC functionaries charged.

Mention may be made that government had handed over compensation amounts of 45 acres of land affected in the construction of land on February 18 and 19.A total of 400 families were compensated.

The chairman and general secretary observed that the amount paid as compensations are mean for the construction of houses at other places after the takeover of the land.

If 50 percent of the amount has been cut down by them, they will face hardship in the building their new homes and threw the attention of the authorities concerns to relief them from the hardship to be faced by them.

They also drew the attention of the Joint Monitoring Group of the Suspension of Operation as KNA is among the outfits included in signing the pact as they are not allow to collect money under the agreement.

Comment