Imphal, September 14 2017: Altogether, 171 encroachers have been identified on Nambul river bed from Keishamthong (bridge) to Heirangoithong (bridge) as per survey conducted by Irrigation and Flood Control Dept (IFCD) officials.
The types of encroachment included construction/running of pan dukan, workshop, godown, hotel, shed, etc .
Chief Engineer of IFCD, Gurumayum Robindro Sharma told The Sangai Express that officials of the department conducted a survey on September 1 to identify encroachers on Nambul river bed .
109 illegal structures have been identified on the left side of the river from Keishamthong to Heirangoithong while there are 62 illegal structures on the right bank of the river, G Robindro Sharma said .
The CE further said that the Department has already written to the DC of Imphal West for conducting a joint survey of river beds.
Survey would be conducted jointly with district administration and Settlement Dept soon, he added .
Encroachment of river bed is illegal under the Floodplain Zoning Act.
As such, the encroachers should move out of the river bank on their own or else the Department in collaboration with related departments would evict them, the Chief Engineer said .
He said that after the survey from Keishamthong to Heirangoithong was conducted on Nambul river bed, similar survey would be conducted on all river beds of the State in the coming days.
He also urged all concerned to heed to the call to remove/stop taking up illegal activities on river beds .
Structures along the river bed have blocked the natural flow of river water during continuous downpours thereby causing flash floods in localities due to overflowing and sometime breaching of river banks, the CE said while urging all concerned to extend maximum cooperation for strengthening of river banks.
Source: The Sangai Express
