MMTU demands action on land allotment issues
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, June 07 2024: Meetei (Meitei) Tribe Union (MMTU) has called upon the government to address several pressing issues related to land allotment for valley residents who lack legal land documents.

MMTU highlighted obstacles created by officials demanding information/ documents such as absence of Dag No and No Objection Certificates (NOCs) from various departments that hinder the submission of land allotment applications.

In a statement, MMTU criticised the revenue and settlement departments for harassing residents instead of performing their duties.

The union questioned if the government intends to treat poor, landless indigenous families occupying small plots of land as encroachers or trespassers, rather than providing them with homestead land as guaranteed under Article 21 of the Indian Constitution, which ensures the right to life, shelter, and livelihood.

The union urged the government to conduct a survey to identify landless families and allocate them plots of land.

The union warned of potential protests if the government fails to address the issue.

MMTU also opposed the demarcation of human settlement areas as forest land and called for a thorough survey to reclassify such areas as revenue land, ensuring residents have legal homestead land.

Additionally, MMTU expressed strong opposition to any plans to evict people living around Loktak Lake, emphasising that these residents are occupying the government land (khasland) because they are poor and do not have their own land.

The union insisted that, if evictions are necessary, the government must provide alternative arrangements and legal land documents for the affected families.

The statement also highlighted concerns about corruption within the revenue and settlement departments, accusing officials of withholding land allotments unless bribes are paid.

MMTU warned that it has a list of corrupt officials and would not hesitate to expose them if the corrupt practices continue.

The union urged the authorities to act swiftly and fairly in allotting land to landless families.

MMTU further noted the existence of numerous fake land documents among residents, a problem that emerged during efforts to update land records.

The union is collecting these fraudulent documents, many of which were issued by corrupt officials to innocent people.

MMTU called on individuals with fake land documents provided by the officials to submit copies to the union, so the issue can be presented to the authorities.

The union underscored that many families live without valid land documents due to the failure of officials to conduct routine land surveys.

Currently, approximately 70 per cent of indigenous people in the valley districts are without valid land documents, a situation exacerbated by corruption within the revenue and settlement departments.

MMTU stressed the urgent need for governmental intervention to ensure fair and legal land distribution to support the valley's indigenous and landless families.

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