Imphal, December 30 2008: State geographers want decentralisation of urban development policy instead of congestional expansion in the earthquake prone Imphal alone for a better living in future.

We need decentralization of urban development policy in the present context otherwise there will be no space in Imphal, says Prof N Deva of Geography department of Manipur University.

He told this reporter on the sidelight of the two day national seminar on Urban Problems and Strategies for Development which concluded today at MU.

Manipur being located in a seismic zone, experts here feels that construction of multi-storey building in Imphal is not suitable.

Thus Imphal has to be recognized to meet the present day need and also the future requirement Prof Deva felt.

According to him,a maximum of 2 to 3 storey is advisable.

Imphal town is having a population of 2.5 lakhs(2001 census) with over 7000 persons per sq km whereas Thoubal town has only about 60,000.But by now Imphal population had already crossed 3 lakhs.

The sudden rise in population is not because of high birth rate or low death rate but because of the large scale migration to the state capital due to the availability of various facilities here another geographer felt.

As the town is still small,it is manageable to bring an equitable and sustainable level provided proper and meaningful planning is adopted,he noted and suggested that why not we construct the necessary infrastructures at the foothills instead of valuable agricultural land.

Not to speak of other factors relating to the alarming cases of health hazard due to population explosion, this senior geographer suggests,the time has come for us to develop towns like Thoubal or Nambol by introducing the same facilities which were available in Imphal.

People will not to directly come to Imphal if everything is available in their own towns.

For this a regular transport services are required.

Like Prof Deva,many scholars who presented various forms of seminar papers on urban problems and strategies for development shares similar sentiment.

Former Chief town planner H Dilipkumar Singh echoing a similar feeling said,heavy migration took place in valley because of unavailability of the required facilities in their respective places,non-devolution of powers to local bodies,ongoing armed conflict etc.

Manipur which has 33 towns including Imphal and Moreh having a population of around 6 lakhs contributing nearly 23 percent of states total population,need decentralization of urban development activities besides developing satellite towns and strengthening the legal tools.Satellite towns are separate towns beyond greater Imphal area.

Interestingly valley that occupies only 10 percent of states entire area has a population of over 14 lakhs which contributes 60 percent of total population.

Above all this small piece of valley is the states rice bowl.

Therefore we need to think of expanding urbanization in hills too.For this proper implementation of Manipur Land Revenue and Land Reforms Act 1960 with necessary modification is need of the hour Elangbam Nixon,Reader in department of management of Mizoram University opined.

MLR and LR Act 1960 restricts valley dwellers to buy land in hill and settled there but it allows hill people to settle in the valley.

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