In the efforts toward creating awareness on existential rights and forest land, the need for coordination and understanding between the network of Forest and Revenue departments and the people was highlighted during the public consultancy on "Land Rights and Forest Land in Manipur' held at Wangjing in Thoubal district in Manipur on Sunday.
“It is an undeniable fact that conservation of forest and environment is important. Nevertheless people's existence without legal entitlement is a crucial issue. Forest expansion should be increased. But there is a need for coordination and understanding between the network of Forest department, the Revenue department and the people,” said Mamta Lukram, state coordinator, Ekta Parishad, on the first day of the public consultancy.
The two-day public consultancy on "Land Rights and Forest Land in Manipur', which is being organised by Ekta Parishad-Manipur, started on Sunday at IRE Group of lnstitutions in Wangjing. Dr Narengbam Rajivkumar Singh, Principal, IRE- Group of Institutions and Shree Ramesh Sharma National Coordinator, Ekta Parishad attended the opening event as function chief guest and president respectively.
Briefing about the present scenario of forest areas in Manipur on the inaugural day, Mamta Lukram said that the physical composition of land structure as 90:10 hill-valley is an indication that forest cover is high in the state. The valley is divided into five districts - Imphal East, Imphal West, Bishnupur, Kakching and Thoubal districts, she said, adding that forest cover increased to 263 sq km from 2015, according to a report in 2017.
Lukram further said that Assam and Manipur are the states in Northeast India with a record forest cover increase. The expanding forest cover and the limited revenue land meant for land entitlement are paradoxes for understanding the dynamics, she added.
According to Socio-Economic & Caste Census Report (SECC) 2011, Manipur has a total of 71 per cent landless households, third in ranking in NE India, while Mizoram has the highest and second highest is Meghalaya, she said.
Lukram said that surveys of households in isolated pockets of the districts found that land, which was former revenue village or unclassified khasland where people have inhabited for years, are claimed by the villagers of being included under forest cover. Those fallen into forest cover of inhabited villages poses existential threat, she said.
“... people's existence without legal entitlement is a crucial issue. Forest expansion should be increased. But there is need for coordination and understanding between the network of Forest department, the Revenue department and the people,” she said.
Pointing out the need of “physical surveys” before expanding forest cover and timely information to the people for compatibility, Lukram said, "Revenue department should urgently assist the people towards legalised allotment. Appropriate alignment of Land laws and Revenue department would lead towards legal entitlement of land to many who are devoid of this basic right".
Lukram said that Ekta Parishad Manipur activists have found out the physical reality of non-synchronised relationship between the three departments from the case story of villages like Thoubal Khunou, Lourembam Aripat in Thoubal District and Wakha village of Imphal district. The organisation is taking up the initiative to create platform where the three dimensions meet to work out towards an amicable solution, she said.
Later, during the technical Plenary Session, Thoidingjam Lokendro Singh, District Forest Officer (DFO), Thoubal district spoke on the topic "Forest Land and Human habitation",Advocate Rakesh Meihoubam, Director, Human Rights and Law Network (HRLN),Manipur on the topic: Women and Land rights.
M Malemnganba Singh, SDC, Revenue Branch Officer, Thoubal, spoke on the topic "Revenue Land and land allotment challenges".
As a part of the event, an interactive session was also held. Two village volunteers shared their experiences on forest conservation. Environmentalists, green enthusiasts, students, local elders and others attended the event.
