The Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) on Thursday announced that mega projects in 'Zeliangrong areas' along with quarrying of stone and sand along the river banks are completely banned with immediate effect.
In a release issued by its information and publicity department, ZUF stated that rivers and streams are contaminated with chemical elements and become a health hazard mainly from the construction of Trans-Asian Railway from Jiribam to Imphal, National Highway and other mega projects in Zeliangrong areas. Quarrying of stone and sand along the river bank has also caused different forms of diseases, it stated.
Any defaulter who is found practicing these methods will be penalised with stringent actions, ZUF cautioned. Companies and agencies working in Zeliangrong areas are to obtain prior consent from the front before undertaking any projects, it stated.
The ZUF welcomes all forms of development projects and programs taken up by both the state and national governments. However, all the companies and agencies working in Zeliangrong areas should maintain genuine work quality, it added.
“Extracting forest products including stone, sand and other resources without proper knowledge and information of the local people and paying nominal tax at the lowest rate to the concerned villages will be checked,” ZUF stated.
The front also cautioned all the villages not to employ non-conventional methods of fishing by poisoning, use of electric and inverters, bleaching powder etc.
The front would extend every possible support and co-operation to any authority and organisation in the move to making a free drug society, it stated. The Front shall take up strong actions against all illegal drug trafficking and social evils. No further warning or consideration shall be intimated against the defaulters, it added.
