IMPHAL, December 14: The Village Authority of Chadong Village has strongly condemned the current High Level Road cutting at Chadong village since last part of November by the Irrigation and Flood Control Department claiming that it is against the interest of the villagers.
The current road construction (High Level Road), a component of the Mapithel dam/Thoubal multipurpose project, is being planned to pass through Chadong from Louphong village, claimed the village authority.
There have been no understanding and consent given to IFCD to construct the said road which will adversely affect the rights of the tribal villagers over their land and forest, claimed the VA.
The current road cutting have destroyed many hectares of village reserved forest areas damaging thousands of valuable flora and fauna, banana farms and other jhum areas which worth over crores of rupees, it further claimed.
The VAs further objected that, the department should not commit another round of forceful execution of Mapithel dam matter until and unless an amicable solution is worked out between the affected villagers and the State govt.
Besides this, it is warned that the State government will be held responsible for any untoward incident occurring out of such forceful work execution, the VIlalge authorities warned.
The current road construction has also aggravated the quantum of violations of Forest Conservation Act, 1980, Forest Protection Act, 1989 and Forest Right Act, 2006 which the State government has committed, they continued.
The Vas further claimed that the road cutting affects the interest and rights of 44 tribal villages which are under catchment area treatment plan, villages under forest submergence and all forest land owners who are going to be marginalised due to compensatory afforestation snatching away their customary rights over their land and forest.
Additionally, violations of National Green Laws due to the construction of Mapithel dam are under challenge before the National Green Tribunals, Kolkata Bench, for which final hearing is set on December 17, they said.