Imphal, Oct 8: Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Tuesday said that several officials had in the past given recognition to hill villages without obtaining approval from the state government for the benefit of their community.
The villages, which were registered by officials like divisional forest officer (DFO) or sub-divisional officer (SDO) by exercising power beyond their capacity, will not be given government facilities such as MGNREGS and water supply, the chief minister said.
Singh, however, said the government would not take action against those officials since most of them had retired and on humanitarian grounds.
“A mere DFO or an SDO was giving recognition to hill villages at Langol and Nongmaijing (hill ranges). Thirty-one villages were given recognition by an SDC (sub-deputy collector) at Churachandpur Khouphum area (forests) which is beyond their capacity,” Singh said.
The chief minister was addressing a gathering on the occasion of the culmination of the 70th Wildlife Week Celebration.
He urged officials to perform their duties within the ambit of the Indian Forest Acts and provisions of the Constitution.
Lokchao in Tengnoupal district is considered a wildlife area, though there is no wildlife there, the chief minister said.
In Moreh, a village chief allotted acres of land to the security forces through an officer of the revenue department without consulting the state government, he said.
“Several officials have given recognition to hill villages in the past without taking due approval from the government… Villages not recognised by the government or not properly registered will not be given government facilities such as NREGS, fire services and water supply,” he said.
Singh stressed the need for politicians and government officials to be sincere and committed towards preservation of wildlife and forests.
“Everything is destroyed. You cannot see a big tree in the reserved forests. We the politicians and officers are responsible for this for we are not sincere. Unless we are sincere, no function, seminar and celebration will be fruitful,” Singh said.
“Once you become an officer or an elected representative, you no longer belong to your community only but to the country and the state. You should work for the welfare of the two and not for the particular community you hail from,” he said.
Many one-sided recognitions were made by officers for the benefit of their own community, the chief minister said adding that future will be difficult if forests and revenue officials are not sincere.
Singh also urged villagers in hill areas to voluntarily surrender hunting weapons and rifles to protect wildlife.
He lamented that Loktak, the largest freshwater lake in the region, is under threat because of encroachment. “If not protected timely, it will vanish,” the chief minister said.
Later, Singh told reporters that temperature is rising in the state because of large-scale deforestation.
