Newmai News Network Imphal | February 19 Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh has warned illegal encroachers of riverbanks to voluntarily move out by March 3 failing which the government would be compelled to evict the encroachers by force. Biren said this during an inspection for the dredging work being taken up at various areas of Imphal River today. Addressing the media about the encroachment along the riverbanks, the Chief Minister noted that illegal land encroachment is one of the major problems for causing flash floods in the State. Under the Flood Plain Zoning Act, no land pattas within 30 feet around the river can be issued to any individual. Legally no one can reside within these protected area, he maintained while adding that an individual possessing such patta could only have obtained it by forgery or the document would be fake. "Under the MLR& LR Act and Flood Plain Zoning Act, we have started taken up certain steps and served show cause notices to those land encroachers and given 45 days," Biren added. The chief minister further appealed the people to remove crematoriums, houses, clubs, toilets etc. that are being constructed along the riverbanks by March 3, 2018. Giving assurances that the government would try its best to protect and save the lives and damages caused by floods in the State, Biren informed that the dredging of river beds of Imphal River, Thoubal River, Iril River and Kongba River etc. would be done before the monsoon season and as such, added that eviction process of all encroachment at riverbanks would begin soon.
