IMPHAL, March 12: A woman today attempted to burn herself and her two small sons by dousing themselves in kerosene at Khongjom Shivnagar after JCBs arrived to evict families of the locality for expansion of the Integrated Mega Tourist Centre Khongjom War Memorial Complex at the Khongjom Khebaching.
According to locals, Khongjom Shivsager was acquired by the government during land acquisition of the surrounding areas for the Integrated Mega Tourist Centre constructed under funding of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India.
The locals said this morning several JCBs arrived in the locality and started levelling the houses and evicted the families of Khongjom Shivsagar.
On seeing the eviction, the woman identified as Thongam (o) Ibemcha,37, wife of Th Sanjit doused herself and her young sons aged 8 and 5 years with kerosene and tried to set themselves on fire; however, some women police personnel present in the area managed to stop her and save them.
Later, the helpless families had to dismantle their houses themselves.
Another person, 28 year old Thokchom Naobi, son of (L) Tomcha also fainted near his own gate on seeing the levelling of the houses. A team of the Thoubal Police commandos took him at the Thoubal District Hospital.
According to the locals, people had started settling at Khongjom Shivnagar about 42 years ago. However, of the families who came and settled there, five families were daily wage earners and since they have no other means, they never tried to register the lands in their names and get land pattas.
The locals also said that on the evening of March 8, the SDO Khongjom issued a notification asking the families to evict the area before March 11.
Even as they were facing the dilemma of how and where to shift in such a short notice and as the government has not provided any compensation or rehabilitation package for them, the government acted today and came to evict them, lamented the locals.
Although there are only five houses in the locality, there are also families where more than three-four brothers are staying together as they are unable to move out, continued the locals.
They further lamented that although local MLA Brojen assured them that he will provide some compensation from his own pocket, he is yet to act on it.
The locals also urged the government to provide some compensation and rehabilitation package so that they may return to their normal life.