Imphal, November 24 2010: A ministerial team of the State has taken up the issue of reallotment of the Manipur State Transport (MST) land to seven individuals, with the Chief Minister of Nagaland.

The plot allotted to MST by Nagaland Government was reportedly re-allotted to seven individuals without even informing the Government of Manipur.

The ministerial team led by Transport Minister L Jayantakumar included Tribal Development Minister DD Thaisii, Hill Areas Committee Chairman Thangminlen Kipgen, Transport Director BK Sharma and other relevant officials.

The team left Imphal on November 21 afternoon and reached Dimapur the next day.

There, the team inspected the MST plot covering 4.241 acres at Dimapur Town, Block-III.

The team found a large number of encroachers occupying the MST plot.

The Government of Nagaland re-allotted the MST land to seven individuals namely Theja, Achet, Noken, K Hosho, Pongkhao Konyak, N Angami and Lima Mao on September 27 last.

Even as it was known that the plot has been re-allotted to private parties and that many people have been encroaching into it, no official of the State Transport Department could visit the plot.

Accompanied by adequate number of security escorts, the ministerial team moved into the plot in the morning of November 22 .

Although, the Government of Manipur is the legal owner of the plot after it was allotted to Manipur by the Government of Nagaland, the plot appeared as if it was nobody owned the land.

Not only that, godown constructed by the Government of Manipur was found converted into an automobile workshop.

A large number of automobile workshops were also found opened in front of the godown in addition to presence of many chateau houses.

Some of the Government quarters were also found occupied by private individuals besides constructing houses in the rear portion of the plot.

A church was also constructed inside the plot after demolishing a section of the pucca boundary wall.

A large number of shops and eateries were also seen alongside the entrance gate.

When the ministerial team went inside the plot together with security escorts, the illegal occupants, automobile workshop owners, shopkeepers and other residents paid little attention.

They simply went on with their activities.

Notably, a large area of plot allotted to the Government of Manipur near Hong Kong Market of Dimapur just beside the flyover bridge has also been literally taken over by encroachers.

The Government of Manipur is unable to evict the encroachers who have already constructed huge buildings.

On the other, the Government of Nagaland has its plots in Imphal too after they were allotted by the Government of Manipur.

After inspecting the existing condition of the MST plot, the ministerial team called on Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio at Souvima village residence at Dimapur.

The meeting was also attended by Planning Minister, Veterinary Minister, Revenue Commissioner and other high ranking officials of the Government of Nagaland.

Later speaking to media persons after the meeting at Dimapur Circuit House, Transport Minister L Jayantakumar questioned the Nagaland Government act of re-allotting the MST land without serving any show cause notice to the Government of Manipur and despite the fact that the Government of Manipur was paying tax till 2007 .

The ministerial team urged the Government of Nagaland to protect those plots allotted to Manipur just as Manipur is protecting plots allotted to the Government of Nagaland.

To this, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio asked his officials as to how the plot was allotted to private individuals without sending show cause notice.

Assuring that justice would be done on the matter, Neiphiu Rio stated that his Government would take a decision on the matter soon and that the same would be intimated to the Government of Manipur in black and white, Jayantakumar conveyed.

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