'Disputed areas belong to reserved forest'
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 02 2017:
Chaphu-uppi and Chonga Loukon which are being contested by Andro and Sandang Senba Maring do not belong to either of the two villages but these areas are part of Nongmaiching reserved forest, Revenue Minister stated on the floor of the Manipur Legislative Assembly today .
In connection with a land dispute between Andro and Sandang Senba Maring, Opposition Member D Korungthang raised a call attention motion .
Korungthang said that the two neighbouring villages were sharing cordial relationship since a long time back but the relationship became strained after 2014 on account of a dispute over Chaphu-uppi and Chonga Loukon .
As the conflict persists, villagers no longer feel free to move around, Korungthang said while seeking immediate attention of the authority concerned .
As a part of Van Mahotsav celebration, Forest Department hired workers and dug holes for planting saplings on June 15 but villagers of Sandang Senba Maring village filled up the holes and sowed bean seeds.
This resulted in a confrontation between the two neighbouring villages .
Subsequently, the Kangpokpi DC imposed restrictions under Section 144, CrPC in the disputed areas, D Korungthang said and urged the Government to resolve the issue at the earliest .
Responding to the call attention motion, Karam Shyam maintained that the situation has been brought under control .
A letter written by SDO Saikul to the Senapati DC on October 6, 2014 said that the contested areas of Chaphu-uppi and Chonga Loukon belonged to Sandang Senba Maring but another letter written by the Under Secretary (Forest) on January 4, 1990 said that the contested areas were parts of Andro, Karam Shyam informed the House .
These two contradictory letters are the main causes of the conflict .
Central Forest Division, DFO wrote a letter to the SDO Saikul on June 18 this year informing that the contested areas do not belong to either Sandang Senba Maring or Andro but are reserved forest areas.
As such, both the villagers should withdraw their claims over Chaphu-uppi and Chonga Loukon, Shyam said .
At the same time, the Government has been working to facilitate a reconciliation between the two villages, he added .
The State Assembly session has been going on since July 20 .