Imphal, May 19: The Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh has pledged that there would be no leniency in initiating action against all concerned including Ministers and officials if found guilty or involved in allotment of land/plot within the campus of manipur university or in areas demarcated as University zone.

Replying to a joint call attention motion from the MPP duo O Joy Singh and Dr Ng Bijoy with added reference to the ongoing expansion work in the University campus after the varsity was elevated to a Central University, the Chief Minister, who also holds the Revenue portfolio explained there is no record of allotting land to private individuals.

O Ibobi, nevertheless prevailed upon the opposition legislators to intimate any information with regard to the land issue so as to process for appropriate action against all found guilty.

Reacting promptly to the CM's gesture, the MPP legislators cited involvement of one Sana (SDO) in the alleged land allotment besides pointing out that the said plot is enlisted as approach road of the University in the Revenue Department record.

Apart from being unanimous in their commitment to furnish related documents to the Chief minister, they also questioned role of the University Registrar in the allotment.

Doubting any specific regulation that 500 acres of land is essential for a Central university, they suggested that shortage of land could be overcome through multi-storey constructions or envisage extension of the University in two-three hill locations as its Hill Campus.

Such an endeavour could also contribute in bridging the hill-valley chasm, they opined while advocating that all illegal allotment be annulled and adequate compensation be extended to genuine land holders affected by the expansion programme.

the Chief Minister responded by saying that DC concerned had prepared amount to be paid as compensation and disclosed of about 40 land owners refusing to claim compensation amount apparently reluctant to part with their possession or unsatisfied with the amount.

Acknowledging the expansion plan suggestion, the CM said the matter would be put up before Central authorities and added that proposals have been received to provide land free of cost in Churachandpur district and kangpokpi sub-division for setting up University complexes.

On the National Institute of Technology (NIT) issue, he insisted that site selection narrowed down to Kiyamgei Loukol taking into account technical feasibility of locating the institute close to Manipur University as well as from the security point of view.

The Chief Minister reminded all concerned that failure to implement the NIT plan within the stipulated time frame might not only result in the Centre scrapping the plan but the people would certainly regret for failing to capitalise on the rare opportunity.

Comment