The 44-Yaithibi Loukol Farmers and Land Owners Development Association has strongly condemned the damaging of several hectares of ripe paddy fields of 44-Yaithibi loukol allegedly by the state Industries department for the construction of Mega Food Park on Thursday.
The staffs of Industries department accompanied with a large number of Manipur police personnel and commandos arrived at the site on Thursday morning and began damaging several hectares of ripe paddy fields by using JCB and bulldozers for installing a police outpost for the construction of a Mega Food Park, the association alleged in a release signed by its president Kh Romenkumar.
The farmers and landowners, who came for work at the paddy field were denied entry by the police team, it stated.
The present BJP-led state government has decided to set up a police outpost at the site under Thoubal and Kakching SPs for constructing the food park, it stated.
It further stated that the farmers and landowners are strongly against the government' s plan for setting up a police outpost.
“The government may set up the outpost only after killing the villagers and taking over their houses to station the security forces,” the association stated.
It further stated that the present BJP-led state government is against the poor and their welfare. There is no faith in the state BJP government for upliftment of the poor.
The people residing in and around the site have strongly condemned the steps taken up by the three MLAs of the adjoining assembly constituencies namely Paonam Brojen, D Korunthang, and M Rameshwor as their moves are meant only for getting contracts and their support on the construction of Mega Food Park is very unfortunate for the farmers and people, it added.
The association further questioned why Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetlands Act 2014 has not been implemented at 44-Yaithibi Loukol, and added that in this regard a case has still been filed at Thoubal Court by the farmers against the government.
It further sought the support of all sections of the people of the state to look into the matter and help protect the livelihood of many poor farmers who depend on the paddy field site.
