IMPHAL, 5th May: MAHUD minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar Friday served a deadline of three days to shop owners, who construct their shops by encroaching upon public areas, to remove their constructions failing which the government will pull down any such constructions or extensions.
The minister gave the deadline during an inspection visit in Imphal city areas along with chief town planner N Geetkumar and IMC officials. During the visit, the minister found several shops extended from walls of private residences, thereby encroaching over the concrete slabs of Naga nullah. Several hotels were also found operating in public areas in Punsi Keithel areas.
As the minister was told that there is a case pending in the court regarding the hotels in Punsi Keithel, he asked the land owners to bring the land documents to IMC. Upon finding an additional shop against the sanctioned construction of 18 shops along Naga nullah adjacent to Ima Keithel, the minister said that the additional shop would be converted into a toilet complex specially for the women vendors.
Later, he also went to Paona Keithel and asked occupants to vacate public places within three days. Even though persons running the business are living on the income from their businesses, they could not affect the public for their own sake. Policies of the government are not for some individuals but for the whole public, the minister said, while appealing to all to cooperate and contribute in making Imphal city clean.
Appealing to land owners and traders to submit their land documents and lease documents to the DC and IMC respectively, Shyamkumar appealed to the people not to take advantage by filing a case in the court without holding land documents. Regarding the water of Nambul River, the minister observed that the river is one of the routes for polluting Loktak Lake and the government is planning to make water free from pollution for which a DPR has been submitted to the ministry. In order to decrease pollution from plastic materials, the government is planning to ban non-degradable plastic materials within a short duration considering the stocks of such plastics in the local market.
Source: The People’s Chronicle
