State violates "The Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014" - YFPHR
Source: IT News

Imphal, June 09 2019: While condemning police excess towards civilians at Yaithibi Loukol, Youth's Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) has blamed the state government for not respecting "The Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014" .

A statement by Kh.

Phajaton, President of the YFPHR, also condemn the government for destroying the Paddy land which are the primary livelihood of the local people contributing to food sovereignty and right to food.

"Manipur had its Second Nupi Lal for exporting the rice by the British Government in the year 1939, however, all went in vein after 82,000 hectare of paddy land were submerged by the Loktak Hydro Power Project since the 80's and also large number of paddy land have been destroyed by the ongoing developmental projects in Manipur like Maipthel Dam, Railway Projects, Kuga Dams etc.

But at Present we could witness the acquisition of Yathibi Loukol for the construction of Food Park by violating the Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014 as a new step to destroy the cultivable Paddy Land", the statement said.

The Forum also reminded the commitment of Chief Minister N.Biren Singh , wherein he vowed to protect agricultural lands and wetlands in order to ensure sustainable development to the people and maintaining ecological balance on June 20, 2017, while speaking on a one-day interaction programme of local and district level monitoring committees constituted under the Manipur State Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014, organised by Department of Revenue at Manipur State Film Development Society (MSFDS) Auditorium, Palace Compound.

Further on 7th April, 2018 On a serious note, the Revenue Minister Karam Shyam highlighted the importance of the enforcement of the Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act 2014 after witnessing various construction works and establishments in the field and paddy-land areas along the route to Lilong and Thoubal and beyond to Pallel, the statement added.

The YFPHR also recalled the appealed by the Minister to the public to respect and follow the laws by leaving behind personal gains for the food sustainability of the future generations.

The statement further said that the Plan of the government to construct 100 acre of mega food park, 150 acre of logistic park and 100 acre of Jewellers park is a clear violation of its own formed law "The Manipur Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act, 2014" which need to be stopped immediately until an alternative cultivable land are provided to those affected villagers which should be feasible for them to access like earlier they did in their paddy land.

Compensation will only destroy the sustainable livelihood of the community and will threaten the food sovereignty and right to food of the people.

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