IMPHAL, October 24: Officials of the Forest department supported by Police personnel today evicted around 64 families of encroachers from inside the Heingang Reserved Forest Area.
The families were evicted from Keirang to Heingang Awang Leikai.
The eviction exercise which started from 7:30 am and continued even as this report is being filed was conducted as per a notification issued on June 26 under Rule No 81 (1) of Manipur Forest Rules 1971 for eviction of the encroachers from the forest area.
A second notification was served to the people on October 16 against occupation and construction of structures in the Hingang Reserved Forest.
During the eviction drive, tension erupted between the people and the department officials but was subdued by the police personnel present.
Some of the structures evicted belonged to Sericulture Farmers`™ projects; however, the Forest officials were shown leases which were signed in 1982 regarding the occupation of the areas by the farmers.
Speaking to media persons in the sideline of the drive, sericulture farmers whose farms were damaged during the drive said it was a shock for them.