A public hearing on social impact assessment for acquisition of land for development of information technology hub (IT hub) in the area besides IT SEZ, Imphal East was held on Thursday at Mantripukhri Friend’s Colony.
The public hearing was organised by the State Social Impact Assessment (SIA) Unit, Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, Manipur, for residents of Mantripukhri, Chingmeirong Nongpok and Meitei Kairang.
During the hearing, affected pattadars opposed land shifting with an appeal to shift the project. They said that they welcome the development project and they are not against the IT hub development however, they cannot vacate their land.
While hearing the public hearing, it seems that people are not aware about the project’s benefit and there is a gap of awareness about the project policy.
Joint director of the directorate of environment and climate change, T Brajakumar, who is the scheme officer of the SIA Unit, said that the public hearing is to hear the public’s opinion and that it is not a conclusion. The public hearing report will be submitted to another expert team and to the higher level after which the consent of people will be taken and that it will be the final decision, he added.
The state government cannot snatch the land by force, it is an acquisition and not an eviction and that is why the public hearing is conducting, said Brajakumar.
The statement and opinion of the pattadars and the report on the possible impact to the environment and social impact will be recommended to the government by the assessment unit, he added.
He informed that the SIA has conducted public hearings to ensure a humane, participative, informed and transparent process for the land acquisition.
It may be mentioned that the state government moves to acquire a land measuring around 100 acres in parts of Kontha Ahallup, Mantripukhri, Chingmeirong Nongpok and Meitei Keirang for the construction of the IT Hub. As per the land schedule specified by the authority, 410 pattadars from four villages within Imphal East are affected on the acquisition of land for the project.
It is also reported that the total number of affected pattadar are 519 instead of 410, out of which the SIA survey was able to trace 423 pattadar.
Technical Expert, O'Brien; academician E Bijoy; survey expert, Md Abdul Salam and social activist BB Sharma attended the public hearing as the presidium members.
