IMPHAL, September 20: Residents of Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai in Imphal West were in for a rude shock when they came to learn that their residential areas will be affected due to the land acquisition by the government for construction of Tupul-Imphal railway line.
At present, the construction of Jiribam-Tupul broad gauge railway line is going on in full swing.
Talking exclusively to this daily, Laishram Ratan Khuman who is the managing partner of LYS Cement & Steel Agency at Kwakeithel Makha Thokchom Leikai said that residents of Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai were took by surprise over the news report published in a local daily today, stating that some paddy fields in the locality have been affected due to the land acquisition by the government for construction of Tupul-Imphal railway line and that residential areas converted from the paddy fields have been earmarked as industrial estate.
He claimed that not an inch of land at Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai was included when the government planned to acquire land for construction of Tupul-Imphal railway line.
The authorities concerned including Revenue Department have not issued any official order for land acquisition at the locality, he said.
Clarifying that there is no arable land at Kwakeithel Thokchom Leikai or residential areas converted from paddy fields, he said that the news report cannot be taken lightly by the people.
The report came at a time when the State is limping back to normalcy after months of agitation over the demand for implementation of Inner Line Permit System, he said, cautioning that any bid to acquire land at the locality will ignite agitation.
He then appealed to the Deputy Commissioner Imphal West and Revenue Department to clarify the news report to the residents of the locality at the earliest.