In a response to a news that the Forest and Revenue department is about to conduct a survey of four villages under Churachandpur district, a team led by the Kuki Students Organization (KSO) Churachandpur and the Zomi Students Federation (ZSF) are on vigil and prepared to oppose the survey, terming it “Illegal.”
The order dated April 4 issued by SDO Churachandpur announced that the survey will be conducted from April 10 to 13. Responding to the order, the village authorities and CSOs took up duties in the four villages, namely Pearsonmun, Bungmual village Headquarter Veng and Sialmat village, as per sources.
On Tuesday, a team led by leaders of KSO and ZSF put up duty at HQ Veng where they eventually learned that the area was already surveyed without the knowledge of the villagers.
The team rushed to Sialmat village where they came in contact with the team personnel conducting the survey.
The team who surveyed the area said that their survey, which they called Geo- Tagging, was done from a distance without actually going to the village, the sources said.
The sources said the students union team and villagers told the survey team that they should notify the VA concerned and do their duty as per law and “not as an undercover agent, which was unacceptable to them and they were let go.”
The survey team reportedly left Sialmat village without finishing the survey.
With the survey allegedly carried out without the involvement of the settlers, the people of Churachandpur are in fear that the facts concerning the pata lands will be distorted by the government.
KSO Leader Minlal Gangte said that the survey was illegal and they are ready to move the High Court soon.
They have already made an appeal to the National Commission for Scheduled Tribes, he informed.
He also questioned the motive of the survey which was allegedly carried out without the knowledge of the chief of the village or Village Authorities. It was unacceptable and illegal, he said, quoting the Indian Forest Act 1927.
Meanwhile, the villagers of Pearsonmun and Bungmual are putting on a strict vigil since Monday but were surprised to learn that their villages are already surveyed. The chief of Bungmual, Mangchinkhup Paite said that they met the SDO Churachandpur and learned that the survey was carried out, following a directive from the Forest department.
He said that he, along with the chief of Pearsonmun, tried to meet the DFO who was not in her office. Alleging that they are not consulted in the survey, he warned that they will accept it at any cost and will take up further action.
