Manipur: Residents of Lamphel Khunou in Imphal West have warned the Manipur government that they will resort to suicide if their eviction is carried out forcefully in violation of the law. Locals on Sunday staged a day-long sit-in protest in the area against the eviction of residents in Lamphel Khunou area. Speaking to media on the occasion, Chongtham Madhubala said that people have been living in the area for several generations. However, after the expansion of the RIMS campus, the area was found to be under the jurisdiction of the hospital.
He said that without consulting the residents of Lamphel Khunou, the government issued land leases for the construction of a mental hospital and got the residents evicted, which is highly condemnable. As a follow-up action by the government, some officials served notices of forceful eviction. He said the matter is still pending in the concerned court. Karam Chaoba Devi, another resident of Lanfel Khunou, said many residents have already been displaced and are still taking shelter in relief camps amid the crisis. She said the government is still yet to relocate internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in these camps.
“Is the government going to vacate the residents of Lanfel Khunou to increase the number of IDPs living in relief camps?” she questioned. “All residents of the area are ready to become human torches if the government starts forceful eviction,” Chaoba said. Chongtham Bijoy, another local resident, claimed that evicting the residents of Lanfel Khunou is a “vindictive policy” that needs to be withdrawn immediately. She stressed that the case is still under court proceedings, with the next hearing scheduled for October 9. She said the government should respect the law and the spirit of the country instead of misusing its power.
