Leishiyo stresses need for land law in hill areas

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jun 30: Pointing out that vast areas including forest areas and vacant ones remain underutilised and unexploited in the hill districts on account of absence of a proper land use policy, MLA Leishiyo Keishing has underscored the growing need for a land law in the hill districts.
He was speaking at the opening ceremony of a month-long 1st Amateur Boxing Free Residential Coaching Camp at Phungyar Higher Secondary School campus yesterday.
Leishiyo Keishing said that there is the MLR&LR Act for the valley districts but no land law has been enacted for the hill districts till date.
Even though there are vast forest areas in the hill districts, these valuable resources have not been properly exploited.
Instead of utilising the vast land resources available in the hill districts, many areas are being used in poppy plantation and terraced cultivation, he said.
The MLA said that there are now many problems in the hill districts and it is not known who are the owners of the land because of absence of land law or land use policy.
Informing that the State Government has initiated the process of enacting a land law for hill districts, Leishiyo emphasised the need for all hill based CSOs, village chiefs, village authorities and Church leaders to consult each other and come to a consensus on a proper land law.
People can enjoy many benefits once a land law is enacted and legitimate land owners are identified, he asserted.
In view of the ever worsening global warming and the rising pollution level, many countries have shown keen interest in carbon trading.
Many countries have already started earning huge revenues through carbon trading. Factories and manufacturing industries generate carbon which is a major source of air pollution. These carbons are absorbed by trees/forests and converted into oxygen.
“For absorption of carbon emitted by factories and industries by our forests, we can earn huge revenues and this is called carbon trading”, the MLA elected from Phungyar AC said.
Manipur is a carbon neutralising area and advance countries which have numerous factories and industries search for such carbon neutralising areas to do carbon trading
Once carbon trading has been started, hill villages would protect adjoining forests on their own volition.
“Our people can prosper without terraced cultivation and poppy plantation by just protecting forest areas but we have not yet exploited this immense prospect”, he said.
Neighbouring Myanmar has been earning huge revenues from carbon trading and Bhutan is literally surviving on carbon trading, Leishiyo said.
However, Manipur  which has abundant forest areas has not yet earned anything from carbon trading, he continued.
“Our forests are our resources but the hill districts which abound in forests should have lawful land owners. For this very reason, it is essential to enact a land law for the hill districts at the earliest”, the MLA said.
He then exhorted all the students of Phungyar to pay due attention to games and sports apart from focusing on their studies. To hone innate sporting talents of children, it is important to start training from a young age, Leishiyo said.
The opening ceremony of the coaching camp which is sponsored by Leishiyo Keishing was also attended by SAI/SAG Deputy Director and Dronacharya Awardee L Ibomcha. The MLA also provided boxing kits for the camp.