Imphal, October 20: The decision of the State Government to take over the plot of land where Surana Motors once stood at Pureiromba Khongnangkhong and build a cultural complex there has begun to draw flaks from the Imphal Development Society.

Speaking to The Sangai Express today, office bearers of the IDS said that they had started the construction work of setting up a multiplex at the site with the primary objective of generating employment, especially in the backdrop of the Centre's new �Look East� policy.

The office bearers of IDS said their vision dates back to 2001 and the manner in which the Government has gone about to �forcibly� acquire the land reeks of a bully mentality.

The multiplex is aimed at housing a hospital, market complex, IT facilities and other requisite facilities, said the office bearers of IDS and added that at the least, the multiplex will be able to provide direct employment to 2000 educated youths while another 10,000 will benefit indirectly.

As Manipur lacks the requisite infrastructure to reap the dividends of the Centre's "Look East" policy, this multiplex can at least provide some needed aid to the people of the State, they said and wondered why the Govt is so keen to eliminate this dream instead of coming forward to help them out.

Imphal Development Society started negotiating with Surana Motors in 2001 and on November 14, 2002, an agreement was signed between the two parties, said the office bearers.

Since then IDS has been developing the plot of land.

However on February 18, 2003, the then MAHUD Minister L Nandakumar issued a Govt notification stating that the plot of land where Surana Motors once stood will be used for building a cultural complex.

As the IDS sought legal help, the State Government came up with a series of plans to jeopardise their activities, charged the office bearers adding that even prohibitory orders under CrPC 144 was imposed in the area for 21 days.

However as the IDS took up the matter according to the law of the land, the Govt had to lift the restrictions, they added.

"We have no objection if the Govt takes up the case according to the law of the land.

But trying to bull doze their way by setting aside the genuine rights of the IDS is abhorrent," they said.

"If the Government can see beyond its nose, then it should ideally come forward and help the private entrepreneurs in setting up infrastructure instead of trying to bully them into submission," said the office bearers.

The Government has no concrete plans on what to do, they charged and recalled, "At one point of time, the Govt said they would develop the land to set up a Vigyan Bhawan, then later is was a cultural complex and again it was a Convention Centre.

This indicates that the Govt just want to grab the land".

Instead of dealing with the matter with a clear cut vision, the Govt has deployed troops at the plot of land so that the Prime Minister can lay the foundation stone of the proposed cultural complex, they added.

However the plan of the Govt may just run into some legal hurdles.

In its ruling on February 28 last year, the Imphal bench of the Gauhati High Court had instructed the State Govt to leave the plot of land as it is following a petition filed by Surana Motors.

The State Govt as also asked to file a reply to the petition within one month.

According to information received here, the State Government has not filed any counter affidavits though the notice was issued nearly 18 months back.

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