Tribal organisations appeal

IMPHAL, Jul 22
The representatives of All Tribal Rights’ Protection Forum Manipur (ATRPFM), Rongmei Naga Student Organisation Manipur (RNSOM), Longmai Bazar Board (LBB) and Longmai Area Village Authority Council (LAVAC) visited the residents of Longmai-III Village, Noney District along the NH-37 and found that a pucca building of two-storey with 8 rooms had been badly affected by the landslide as a result of construction of NH-37.
The statement informed that the affected land belongs to one Rongphun Rongmei. The value of the affected house and other properties like standing crops is estimated at Rs 30 lakhs on an average.
All parts of the house suffered cracks and the upper storey is destroyed.
If the concerned authorities fail to address the issue and take up necessary steps to prevent further destruction, then around 30 houses with a Church would be totally wash away by the landslide due to the construction of the said road and there is a high chance to loss the life of the residents, it stated.
It is uncertain whether concern authority(s) carried out the Environment Impact Assessment (EIA), Social Impact Assessment (SIA), Forest Clearance, etc, because, the ongoing construction of NH is affected badly as cited above.
Further, the team also inspected the said road beyond the said village and found that many villages can be affected by the construction of road, it added.
It also stated that the road is in extremely bad condition and appealed the concerned authorities to take steps to prevent further destruction of more houses in the area.
The statement claims that the NH which is being constructed by NHIDCL was never maintained properly and that various protocols were neglected.
The organisations and leaders of the area have approached and requested the concerned authorities as well as by way of submitting representations.
However, no positive response has been given till date.
It is, therefore, the said organisations has appealed the concerned authorities, NHIDCL in particular to respond within 5 days with effect from July 23.
The organisations cautioned that they will be compelled to stop movement of heavy vehicles along the NH and other forms of democratic protest if concern authority and NHIDCL fail to take action within stipulated time.