Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 02:
Taking cognisance of many people possessing fake pattas and encroaching upon Government land in Imphal area, the Settlement and Land Records Department has started launching an intense drive and as many as 100 fake pattas in Lamphel and Langol area have been cancelled over the last one month, disclosed a reliable source from the Department.
The source said that the State Government is serious over evicting all the fake pattadars and encroachers and has issued strict instructions to cancel all the fake pattas.
Among those whose fake pattas have been cancelled are three from Uripok Sinam Leikai.
Interestingly, one fake pattadar was found holding 30 acres of land, the source said.
In Langol area, it has been detected that the number of people having Dag Chithas are more than those having real pattas.
As many as 300 such Dag Chithas have been detected in Langol area alone, the source said, adding that the Dag Chithas are likely to have been issued on the sly in connivance with some unscrupulous officials of the Department against whom the Government is considering taking up action.
Stating that the ongoing survey at Lamphel area will wind up this month, the source disclosed that an eviction drive against the fake pattadars in Langol Reserved Forest area will start soon.
The source further informed that the re-survey operation launched in different parts of the State since 1986-87 has not been completed with the exception of Thoubal district.
The re-survey drive has been resumed in Imphal East and West district.
Presently the operation is being conducted in 13 different places in Imphal East and 14 different places in Imphal West.
The drive in respect of Thoubal district has been completed in all the 63 designated villages, although it has not yet been launched in Bishnupur district.
Meanwhile, sources informed that the survey work being conducted in Greater Imphal area for the purpose of expanding the National Highways and State Highways is almost complete.
The survey work has been completed along National Highway 39 from Koirengei to Canchipur, from Tera Bazar till Wahengbam Leikai turning along National Highway 150 and from Ningthemcha Karong to Keishampat area along National Highway-150 stretch.
Although the width of National Highway-150 along Tiddim Road will be 100 ft, in Keishampat area it will be 120 ft in view of the fly over bridge to be constructed there, the source informed.
For expeditious execution of the work, the State Government has given necessary instructions to all the Departments concerned to issue general notices to evict encroachers along both side of the National Highways and State Highways as well as for initiating acquisition process in case of patta land, the source said, disclosing that the Govt would be keeping congested and accident prone Singjamei area under the top priority in carrying out road expansion work along National Highway 39.During the past few days, encroachers and owners have started pulling down their pulling down on either side of Tiddim Road.
It may be recalled here that with the implementation of the Manipur Municipality (Second Amendment) Act, 2004 during the recently concluded Winter Session of the Assembly, a Select Committee of the House head by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has been constituted to look into the provisions of the Act so that the existing bye-laws related to building construction can be amended.