By Paojel Chaoba
IMPHAL, November 9: There is clear evidence that the population of two villages of the State has been grossly manipulated by concerned officers including the Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul district. The manipulation of a ‘ghost population’ has been documented and approved to misappropriate compensation money which is due for the residents of Lamlai Khunou and Chadong village of 43 Phungyar Assembly Constituency of Ukhrul district.
IFP in an investigation found out, as per the State Government mandate to evict and compensate the villagers of Chadong and Lamlai Khunou for construction of the Mapithel Dam, a detailed list of families of the mentioned villages has been furnished by D Gangmei, Sub-Divisional Officer of Phungyar and given to the concerned DC on April 19,2012.
His report mentions that as per instructions, he surveyed Lamlai Khunou village on April 12 and Chadong on April 16, 2012 and verified the families of both villages. He had encountered some problems from civil bodies but completed the survey by spot verification and comparing records with the concerned village authorities.
His submitted report to the DC states that the number of household/families for Lamlai Khunou is 241. The number for Chadong village was reported to be 455. Details of landowners, landless individuals and graves were also accounted.
It may be mentioned that there has been allegations from various quarters that the State Government, through the office of the DC is depending upon a disputed list that includes names of people who have never resided in the villages. The villagers suspect that the ‘ghost population’ which does not exist is deliberately put in the list by government officials to misappropriate the compensation money under fictitious names.
According to a cabinet memorandum document available with IFP, the subject of special Rehabilitation and Resettlement (RR)for Chadong and Lamlai Khunou was put up in the cabinet held on September 24,2011.
It mentions that out of six villages affected by the Thoubal Multipurpose Project, physical rehabilitations in respect of 4 villages have been completed except for Chadong and Lamlai. It could not be done so as the rehabilitation package approved under the RR plan of 1998 and 2008 was felt inadequate by the villagers.
Further, a meeting was held on 1/9/2011 with representatives of the two villages earlier and the following decisions were taken.
The cost of dwelling house including granary, toilet, kitchen, transportation, rehabilitation for headman and pastor was fixed at Rs 16 lakhs each. The rehabilitation grant for a common villager was fixed at Rs 14 lakhs.
The total number of families for Chadong and Lamlai village as per report submitted by the SDO, Phungyar as 455 nos. and 241nos. respectively. The total amount involved for the construction of 696 dwelling houses amounts to 97.54 crores. The compensation cost is to be borne by the State Government from the source of fund.
The amount of compensation money to be given to the relocated villagers is a substantial amount, and the list of beneficiaries has been evidently manipulated.
According to sources, the number of houses for both villages is in actuality significantly lesser than what has been catalogued in the beneficiary list. It has been alleged that a single family has been divided into more families and evens teenagers have been listed as married status . Many names listed at the Chadong beneficiary list are apparently fictitious, the source adds.
It was pointed out that KS Wokmalon,21, s/o Ningreingam, House number 445 and serial number 1622 has a wife, KS Philangam and one year old son KS Martin as featured in the Chadong village list is in reality a teenager and a high school student. He is not married.
Similarly, KAS Chipemmi who has similar status is projected as married and 21 years of age with a household.
There are several other bogus families pointed out including household number 346,347,352,355,357,359,369,394,395,399,411,420,421,425,428,433,440,441,453,455,448 etc of Chadong village. They are not genuine families of the village, the source adds.Nearly a hundred bogus families are said to be listed. The amount for the ‘ghost population’ would be more than tens of crores.
It was alleged that the number of families for Lamlai Khunou is actually 165 according to the last census report of 2011. The number mentioned in the beneficiary list is 241.
For Chadong village, there are only 230 job card holders and the electoral roll is said to mention 174 house numbers only. However, the number projected on the list is 455 households.
IFP went to the Census Directorate to verify the actual number of houses and total population of both Lamlai Khunou and Chadong village. It was learnt from the concerned official that the Census report 2011 is still in a provisionary stage and the original population figure will be available next year. The census is only provided holistically and for the nine districts only. It has not been sub-categorized according to divisions and village levels yet.
However, the report of the earlier Census 2001 which was available village wise verified that Chadong village had only 160 households then and Lamlai Khunou was pegged at 69.
Comparing the data and the 2011 provisional census, IFP found that according to the Summary of Provisional Population Figures,2011 published by the Directorate of Census Operations, Manipur. Ukhrul district recorded the highest percentage of decadal growth at 30.07 % and Imphal East at 14.63 % is the lowest.
In calculating the approximate Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of Lamlai Khunou at 30% decadal growth. The figure of growth from 69 families in 2001 to 241 families in 2011 leaves the figure at 13.32 % in a year. In simple words, one house becomes 13 houses in a year.
For Chadong village, the CAGR is at 11.02% as the figure escalates from 160 houses in 2001to 455 houses in 2011. One house/family multiplies into 11 houses/families.
This decadal growth is an unimaginable figure and not a logical statistical report, experts commented. It was mentioned that growth rate is mainly attributed to birth rate and migration in the Census survey. None of the factors are applicable as migration is not a relevant issue as the area has not deemed feasible habitat as it is to be submerged after the commencement of the Mapithel Dam.
This conclusive calculations amply substantiate the allegation that the Lamlai Khunou and Chadong beneficiary list as been manipulated for personal gains of some government officials and others individuals.
It may also be mentioned that the disputed list was approved for rehabilitation and resettlement by the State Cabinet and the amount of compensation was also chalked out on September 24,2011 for the said villages. The agreement for providing Rs 16 lakhs to the village headman and pastors, Rs 14 lakhs to the villagers, Rs 90,000 as land interest to the land owners, Rs 70,000 to the landless and Rs 30,000 for per exhumed body including others were to be paid by cheque to the villagers before the inauguration of the Mapithel project.
Further, the latest incident is the third verification of households conducted by SDO of Phungyar, D Gangmei along with other village volunteers on 29 and 30 Oct,2012 for Lamlai Khunou and Octber 31, November 1,2, and 3 for Chadong village without consulting the Expert Review Committee. The ERC was formed by the State Government in January 2008 to look into aspects of eviction, compensation and rehabilitation.The villages had their representatives in the ERC.
However, the State Government issued an order on 28 September,2012 and constituted a Joint Verification Team, comprising of officials of the state Irrigation and Flood Control Department, the DC of Ukhrul and state Tribal Development Department and identifies the families affected by the controversial Mapithel Dam and undermines the function of the ERC.