The show-cause notice issued by divisional forest officer, Thoubal lacks proper proceedings and is faulty, said the Fidelity Horticulture cum Sugarcane Growers Co-operative Society, Laipham Loknung, Kakching, Thoubal district on Tuesday.
In a release issued by its president Y Bhagyachandra Singh, the Co-operative Society stated that the show- cause notice issued by divisional forest officer Thoubal under the Indian Forest Act 1927 and the Manipur Forest Rules 1971 lacks necessary proceedings and criteria such as the signatures of two witnesses.
The notice was issued to the Revenue Villages no. 61-Irengbam, no. 59 Kakching Khullen, no. 60 Laijing Khullen and 45 Kangoi of Thoubal district, it stated.
Moreover, the Forest department had not provided any prior notice of land encroachments to the locals, it continued. It accused the Forest department of drawing an imaginary line and claiming lands without any records of proper joint survey.
It recalled that the historical evidence refutes the land encroachment claims of the Forest department.
It mentioned that when the government issued a proposal of Reserved Forest at Khunuda Laijing in 1973, the Fidelity Horticulture cum Sugarcane Growers Cooperative Society filed an objection case.
The final order copy of the proceeding declared that the 150 acres of land belonged to the society, it added.
