LOUKAL advisor reacts
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IMPHAL, Mar 2: Loumi Kanglup Lamphel (LOUKAL) advisor Chongtham Bijoy has accused the Manipur Horse Riding and Polo Association (MHRPA) of trying to misguide the people of Manipur under the garb of uplifting the game of polo and conserving the Manipuri Pony.
Speaking to reporters at his residence at Lamphel Khunou, the LOUKAL advisor said MHRPA is an organisation formed by powerful people including retired IAS, IPS etc.
Reacting to the statement made by MHRPA officials during yesterday's press meet at Lamphelpat, he asserted that LOUKAL never accused them of encroaching on farmers' land, but downright grabbing the land of underprivileged farmers using the powers available to them. Even in the present, they are engaged in snatching land belonging to farmers, alleged Ch Bijoy.
Questioning the ownership of the site where MHRPA conducted the press conference yesterday, he said the land was given by the Manipur Government to the Veterinary Department during 1993-95 to grow hay/feed for ponies.
He claimed that MHRPA had renamed the site as Pony Farm and de facto brought it under their control and prohibited access to others.
The LOUKAL advisor agreed with MHRPA's statement that a 32-acre land was allotted to the association on lease for 30 years under former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.
However, the allotted land has been used in the rejuvenation of Lamphelpat water bodies and this can be seen clearly in the project map, said Ch Bijoy.
Here, he questioned how MHRPA managed to obtain patta for a piece of land on lease from the Manipur Government and demanded a clarification from the association.
Instead of requesting the concerned authority to swap the land affected by the project, MHRPA allegedly grabbed the adjacent land belonging to LOUKAL farmers, claimed Ch Bijoy.
Speaking to reporters at his residence at Lamphel Khunou, the LOUKAL advisor said MHRPA is an organisation formed by powerful people including retired IAS, IPS etc.
Reacting to the statement made by MHRPA officials during yesterday's press meet at Lamphelpat, he asserted that LOUKAL never accused them of encroaching on farmers' land, but downright grabbing the land of underprivileged farmers using the powers available to them. Even in the present, they are engaged in snatching land belonging to farmers, alleged Ch Bijoy.
Questioning the ownership of the site where MHRPA conducted the press conference yesterday, he said the land was given by the Manipur Government to the Veterinary Department during 1993-95 to grow hay/feed for ponies.
He claimed that MHRPA had renamed the site as Pony Farm and de facto brought it under their control and prohibited access to others.
The LOUKAL advisor agreed with MHRPA's statement that a 32-acre land was allotted to the association on lease for 30 years under former Chief Minister Okram Ibobi.
However, the allotted land has been used in the rejuvenation of Lamphelpat water bodies and this can be seen clearly in the project map, said Ch Bijoy.
Here, he questioned how MHRPA managed to obtain patta for a piece of land on lease from the Manipur Government and demanded a clarification from the association.
Instead of requesting the concerned authority to swap the land affected by the project, MHRPA allegedly grabbed the adjacent land belonging to LOUKAL farmers, claimed Ch Bijoy.