IMPHAL, June 17: Opposition leader MLA Dr I Ibohalbi Singh of Trinamool Congress today sought the identification of a state Revenue Minister who had approved the efforts of certain officials of the state Revenue Dept to sell off 168 acres from near the Kondong Lairembi in Chandel District to the 24th Assam Rifles.
The MLA had moved a Calling Attention Motion on the issue.
Speaking further, the MLA asked why was a Reserved Forest land tried to be sold off to the Assam Rifles.
He continued, the said area of land had been announced as a Reserved Forest Area in 1946 by a resolution of the Manipur State Darbar even before Manipur had merged with India.
In 1972, under the Wild Life protection Act, the said area had been marked as a Wild Life Sanctuary, he said and further placed before the House the Forest Conservation Act of 1980 in connection with the issue.
The mover of the Calling Attention Motion, Dr I Ibohalbi further demanded the identification of the officials of the Revenue dept and on what condition efforts to sell off the land was made and if there were any requests from the Assam Rifles to buy off the land.
He further questioned about what decision the then government had taken on the issue.
In answer to the Calling Attention Motion, Forest & Environment Minister Thoudam Devendro Singh who also holds the Revenue portfolio said a Section Officer and a Sub-Deputy Collector of the Revenue department involved have already been suspended.
He also said that he will identify the then Revenue Minister before the end of the present session of the House and continued that the two officials were suspended only after the submission of a Calling Attention Motion on the issue.
The then Under Secretary (Hills) has already retired, he said and added that as of now, the said land has already been placed under the MLR Act.