The All Tribal Rights’ Protection Forum Manipur (ATRPFM) once again appeal the State Government, the concerned authorities, more particularly, the NHIDCL to translate the assurance given to the landslide affected householders into action without any further delay. As reported by the ATRPFM through the Deputy Commissioner, Noney District on 22nd July, 2020, a committee was constituted to analyze the cause of landslide of Longmai Noney areas along NH-37 by way of technical examination, analysis and other measures and also to suggest/recommend future course of action and remedial measures where Chief Engineer, PWD, Manipur is the Chairman, and General Manager, NHIDCL, Imphal; Director, GSI State Unit Nagaland and Manipur, Imphal; Director, MARSAC, Sc. & Tech. Govt. of Manipur; Prof. Arun Kumar, Earth Science Department, MU, Imphal and Ak. Ranjit Kumar Singh, DRO, R&DM, Manipur were the members of the said committee. An order dated 24.07.2020 was issued by the Addl. Chief Secretary, R&DM to that effect.

Further, a team of officials from various departments led by AK Ranjitkumar Singh, DRO, R&DM inspected the said areas which were taken up in response to the press statement issued by the ATRPFM and CSOs of Longmai Noney areas. The President of ATRPFM also took part in the inspection drive and the matter was published in the local dailies on 27th July 2020. As such, the concerned authorities have full knowledge of the peculiarly dangerous nature of the landslide for the residents of the affected areas, specifically, for Longmai-3 village where about 30 houses including a Church are about to be washed away along with their standing crops, paddy fields etc by the landslide. However, no positive steps have been taken by the concerned authorities till date which is gross negligence of the part of State Government and the NHIDCL.

Now, landslides are becoming more acute and the buildings are getting cracks bigger and bigger every passing day. The Geological Survey of India has directed the affected residents to vacate the houses but the State Government has not arranged any alternative rehabilitation facilities and there are no intimations/decisions pertaining to payment of compensations for the affected householders. Their pucca buildings have already been damaged at the costs of lakhs of rupees. The root caused of the landslide is due to the construction of road, i.e. NH-37 by the NHIDCL and non-maintenance of the said road with proper care and precaution. The residents of Longmai-3 and adjoining areas are poor people and it takes years to construct a house and also to form their livelihood. Now, all efforts to construct a pucca building or a shelter houses and to build up their livelihood have been shattered without any fault of them and the State Government and the authorities concerned are still neglecting the affected residents of the areas.

It is, therefore, ATRPFM strongly demand and urge the State Government, NHIDCL and other concerned authorities to immediately take steps without any further delay and pay compensations for the damages and arrange an alternative livelihood and rehabilitation, failing which the residents and the ATRPFM would be compelled to explore legal means against the  State Government, NHIDCL and other concerned authorities.        

This was stated in a release by Joseph Rongmei, President, ATRPFM.