- NET Web Desk
As many as 69 houses built unlawfully within the protected forest areas of Manipur’s Waithou and Usoipokpi were reduced to rubbles on Sunday.
Forest officials, accompanied by a significant number of security officials commenced the eviction drive at 7 AM; and concluded at 11:30 AM. While, seven excavators (JCB and poclain) were dispatched to raze these 69 dwellings.
Singh condemned the officials for overlapping property jurisdictions and illegal land allotments to “encroachers”.
Eviction of illegal encroachments in reserve forests is underway in Thoubal district. The state Govt. has initiated a drive to take action against all the encroachments in different parts of the state.@PMOIndia @narendramodi @AmitShah @JPNadda @AShardaDevi pic.twitter.com/2AuGbUS8Dg
— N.Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) June 12, 2022
According to the Thoubal Forest division authorities, this eviction drive was initiated after “encroachers” failed to provide “sufficient justification” as to why they should not be expelled from the forest area.
As per the eviction notice, dag chithas/jamabandi issued in Waithou Protected Forest is in violation of the provisions of the Indian Forest Act, 1927, Manipur Forest Rule, 2021, and Forest Conservation Act, 1980, and hence the documents submitted by the “encroachers” cannot be a justification for not evicting from the forest land encroached upon by them.
The notice further mentioned that since the land was inside the Waithou Protected Forest, the patta/jamabandi and allotment order had been cancelled by the DC Thoubal on June 9. Moreover, all “illegal” occupants were asked to vacate the land and remove all structures constructed by them by 5 pm of June 11, failing which necessary action for eviction and demolition of structures shall be taken up without further notice, it said.
