Keingam protests

IMPHAL, Oct 23 : A large number of people and several student bodies today staged a sit-in protest at Awang Sekmai condemning plan to move the Central Paramilitary Force stationed at Koirengei Airfield to 33-Keingam under Loyalakpa Chingkhong Loukon.
Volunteers of AMSU, AIMS, DESAM, KSA, MSF and SUK and villagers of Awang Sekmai, Kanto, Kanto Sabal, Kanto Achouba, Keingam, Leimakhong Chingmang, Kanto Premnagar, Keingam Dwarika, Keingam Machangram, Khunkhu Naga village and Khunkhu Kuki village took part in the protest and held a public meeting denouncing the State’s plan to take the station of the paramilitary forces to Keingam.
Demanding the Government and authorities concerned to roll back the plan, the people took out a rally and submitted a memorandum addressed to Chief Minister N Biren Singh to Sekmai SDC.
The paramilitary forces if moved to Keingam would affect a number of farmers and villagers who depend on the agricultural land at 33-Keingam. 33-Keingam is agricultural area and is crucial agricultural related activities, they said in the memorandum.
The memorandum further reminded the Chief Minister that he had earlier assured the people of the area that the land would not be purchased and used against their will when they met him.
In November 2019, the office of the Imphal West DC had identified land measuring 2000 metres (length) x 200 (breadth) metres at the place for Government use and it had created tension among the people, the memorandum said adding the news that the paramilitary force stationed at Koirengei may be shifted to 33-Keingam has created fresh tension among the farmers and the locals of the villagers.
They appealed the Chief Minister to hear their plight and scrap the plan (to shift the paramilitary forces), which will affect farmers and people in the area.