IMPHAL, March 3: Loumi Lups has strongly opposed the Manipur Land revenue and Land reforms 6th amendment Bill recently passed in the 7th session of the 10th Legislative Assembly.
Mutum Churamani, advisor to Protection of Agricultural Land and Natural Resources Organisation said that the bill is against the interest of poor farmers.
In a press meet at the Manipur Press club, Churamani said: “We have demanded, and are struggling, for last 10 years to save agricultural land from being used in other construction purposes. Former MLA S Natum raised the motion to protect the agricultural land in the Assembly on 2004.”
“The bill consists nothing on the protection of cultivable lands. It favours the rich, bureaucrats and legislators and minister of the state who are buying lands for industrial purposes. It unauthorised diversion of land that has taken place before the commencement of Manipur MLR& LA (Amendment) Act, 2014 giving a window of opportunity for the regularisation in respect of built up or constructed area only of the diverted land on payment of fine of one thousand rupees and fee at the rate of Rs 25/- per square metre in case of diversion of agriculture land for non- residential purposes,” he said, “ This penalty is negligible for the rich and other builders but is against the interest of poor famers. In comparison, Kerala’s conservation of paddy land and wetland bill 2007 reserves three years prison and one lakh fine in the penalty for its violation.”
Laishram Shyamkumar, president of Loumi Shinmi Apun Lup said that the bill was passed against the interest of poor farmers who are working and surviving on their agriculture land by preserving their ancestral lands.