Imphal, February 28: The Loktak Project Affected Area Action Committee (LPAAAC) has demanded the Final Verification Report of the Expert Committee set up by the State Government to study the extend of agricultural land submerged in and around the Loktak lake after commissioning of the Loktak project in 1984.Addressing a press conference at Manipur Press Club here today, general secretary of LPAAAC O Chandani Devi resented strongly the inability of the Expert Commission to bring out the report so that the necessary could be expedited for providing compensation to the affected farmers.

She recalled the affected farmers formed the LPAAAC in 1990 with the objective seeking compensation from NHEPC and accordingly filed a case against the NHEPC in Imphal Bench of Guwahati High Court in 1993.After taking up the case, the Court ordered, the State Government to constitute an Expert Committee to verify the affected area within six months time.

But as the Expert Committee could not bring out the report in time, LPAAC had to file a contempt of court petition, she said.

In the hearing of the petition, she further said, the Court again directed the State Government to produce the required report within 45 days.

But when the report was produced, it only noted that 20,000 hectare of agricultural land was affected by the Loktak project although when the matter was brought up on the floor of the Manipur Assembly, it had pointed out the extend of the area affected as 50,000 hectares.

Following this new development, the Court further issued an order directing the State Government re-verification of the earlier report of the Expert Committee within two months.

The Expert Committee yet again failed to bring out the report in time, compelling the Court to give strong directive to the State Government to furnish the said report within January last.

But till date, the report has been brought out and the Government has been employing dilly-dallying tactics, thereby denying justice to the affected farmers she lamented.

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