Members of the ‘Affected Land and Property Owners’ Association (ALPOA) Tamenglong of Tamenglong-Mahur Road NH-137’ on Wednesday announced that all road construction works of Tamenglong-Mahur road will be halted indefinitely if their demands are not met by February 18.
They made the announcement during a press conference at the office of the association at Namlalong Tamenglong Ward No II.
Speaking to the media, ALPOA Tamenglong chairman ID Gambui said the then deputy commissioner Tamenglong Armstrong Pame never consulted the land owners when the road construction started.
However, Pame collected the no objection certificates from the chairman of the respective villages to start the work with zero compensation though the chairmen do not hold the rights of the land owners, he said.
ALPOA Tamenglong is demanding the state government of Manipur for conducting the physical land survey, assessment and valuation of property for payment of compensation to the affected people at the earliest, he said.
ALPOA strongly condemned the former deputy commissioner Tamenglong Armstrong Pame for destroying the land holding system inherited by the forefathers by collecting no objection certificates from the village chairmen, he said. “It is a fact that the land holding system of Tribal areas of Manipur are totally different from the valley areas,” he mentioned.
“If the Tamenglong- Mahur road construction project is withdrawn, the state government must restore or compensate for all the pilot cutting, random cutting, destroyed forest, farm, etc. or the Affected Land and Property Owners’ Association (ALPOA) Tamenglong will not allow the company vehicles to move out,” Association secretary Zebedee stated.
ALPOA Tamenglong also strongly rejected the no objection certificates initiated by “some village authority chairmen/secretaries in collusion with the district administration” stating that the certificates are bogus and misleading “as they do not have authority over the land.”
The North Cachar Hills Autonomous Council Haflong, Dima Hasao District Revenue and settlement department has issued a notification for joint spot enquiry for assessment of land on September 16, 2022, it mentioned. The notification is signed by secretary, Revenue, NC Hills Autonomous Council for the same road in the state of Assam, it stated.
ALPA also submitted an ultimatum to the Union Minister Ministry of Road Transport and Highways, demanding to cause necessary directives to the NHIDCL (PIA) and the state government of Manipur for conducting Physical Land Survey, Assessment and valuation of property for payment of compensation to the affected people at the earliest.
The Affected Land and Property Owners’ Association (ALPOA ) Tamenglong set on or before 18th February 2023 to respond to the genuine plight of the affected people, the Affected Land and Property Owners’ Association (ALPOA) Tamenglong warned to halt the construction work indefinitely.
