Manipur
Kambiron, Noney and Khumji villages
,
Marangjing
,
Noney
Published : 12 July, 2014   |   Last updated - 24 Jun, 2024
Manipur Villages Not Keen to Welcome Railway Project, Demand Compensation, Rehabilitation
Reported by
Aditi Patil
Legal Review by
Anmol Gupta
Updated by
Anupa Kujur
Households affected
682
People Affected
2017
Year started
55
Land area affected
Households affected
682
People Affected
2017
Year started
55
Land area affected
Key Insights
Sector
Infrastructure
Reason/Cause of conflict
Railways
Conflict Status
Ongoing
Ended
Legal Status
Region Classification
Rural
Ended
1
Summary

As part of the Central governments Act East Policy, the first broad gauge railway line in Manipur for freight and passenger transport – spanning 111 kilometres – will connect Indias Northeast to ASEAN countries. Construction of the railway line began in 2010 without forest clearance, even though it is required under the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980. In 2012, construction companies began excavations to build tunnels and bridges. Over the years, several families in the villages of Kambiron, Noney and Khumji in Noney district have been displaced without any resettlement or rehabilitation packages. In a consent of undertaking that was signed in June 2014 by land owners from six affected villages, the district forest official had stated that 23 houses in Khumji village, where the Tupul station is being built, will be affected by the railway project. However, 29 families were displaced from their homes in 2015 immediately after the compensation was paid. The Manipur government submitted claims that no families were displaced and, hence, formulated no plan for rehabilitation. The displaced farmers have been pushed to take up masonry. Meanwhile, construction activity has polluted the Ejei river, which has severely affected the livelihood of communities dependent on it. In July 2016, the district commissioners office issued a notice** **stating that the scheme of rehabilitation and resettlement under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act is not applicable and, therefore, may be exempted in this particular sense of land acquisition. No explanation for the exemption was offered. Since 2017, the residents have protested against the poor compensation they have received from the North East Frontier Railways (NFR), which is constructing the railway line, for their farmland and their subsequent displacement from their homes. The protesters were from Khumji, Marangjing, Kambiron villages in Noney district. According to K. Athuipou, chieftain of Khumji2 village, the compensation ranged from INR 70,000 to INR 5 lakh. "It took time and money to rebuild our lives and the compensation was just not enough," he was quoted as saying in a news report.
In 2017, the chairperson of the Ejei River Development Committee filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In the petition, the committee contended that the Ejei river was undergoing severe environmental and ecological damage due to the illegal discharge of dangerous untreated effluents and pollutants. This, they alleged in the petition, violated the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981, and the Code of Practice for Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) Plants. At least 10 cows have reportedly died from drinking the river water and several people have fallen sick. The Manipur State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) and the Ministry of Railways denied these charges. The petition is still pending with the NGT. The NFR, railway ministry, MSPCB, the Manipur Directorate of Environment and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had each requested for more time to file their responses. The scheduled hearing in December 2017 did not take place since the vacancy for judges in the Eastern bench had not been filled. In March 2018, people from Tamenglong and Noney districts burnt an effigy of Tamenglong district Deputy Commissioner Armstrong Pame in the village for his alleged role in siphoning off the compensation money to two former residents of the village, who claim to be private owners of communityowned land. LCW could not confirm Pame's ties to the two individuals, but according to local sources, he has been implicated in several such cases. The same year, the railway project was interrupted for an entire month due to protests. Even though a date for a public hearing was advertised in the local newspapers, it did not take place. In June 2019, Pame's office refused to respond to RTI applications regarding sale deeds and compensation beneficiaries list. In 2020, Kambiron village chairman Dinrei Gangmei said that memorandums to the district commissioner of Tamenglong had been submitted for the resettlement of the villages. The only promise of employment also remains precarious because the local residents, so far, have only been temporarily employed in the construction companies so far.

2
Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Demand for rehabilitation

Complaint against procedural violations

Opposition against environmental degradation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Common

Forest, Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

12524

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Author
Reported by
Aditi Patil

Manipur

Kumar Sambhav is a social entrepreneur and award-winning journalist, leading innovative research in accountability investigations. He is the founder of Land Conflict Watch and is currently working as India Research Lead with Princeton University’s Digital Witness Lab.

Read More

Latest updates
Rajasthan
Rajasthan

UIT Bikaner's Jorbeer Housing Project on Stalls Following Rajasthan High Court Order

Rajasthan
Rajasthan

Jaipur Development Authority Acquires Land for Township Project, Ending Conflict

Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh

Farmers land acquired under Mansarovar Housing Scheme in Lucknow

Maharashtra
Maharashtra

Citizens unite against cycle track around Powai, Vihar Lakes in Mumbai

Jharkhand
Jharkhand

Families displaced by Mandal Dam in Jharkhand opppose project resumption

Jharkhand
Jharkhand

Jharkhand approves Adani's thermal plant, farmers allege violation of LARR Act

Gujarat
Gujarat

Pastoral Community in Gujarat's Banni Grasslands Demands Titles Recognising Community Forest Rights

Uttar Pradesh
Uttar Pradesh

Builder Encroaches Upon Farmers Land in Gosaiganj Lucknow, 150 Allottees in Lurch

Fact sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Demand for rehabilitation

Complaint against procedural violations

Opposition against environmental degradation

Manipur Villages Not Keen to Welcome Railway Project, Demand Compensation, Rehabilitation

Reported by

Aditi Patil

Legal Review by

Edited by

Updated by

Updated by

Published on

September 30, 2020

May 17, 2022

Edited on

September 30, 2020

Sector

Infrastructure

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Railways

Starting Year

2017

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

55

ha

Households Affected by Conflict

People Affected by Conflict

682

State

Manipur

Sector

Infrastructure

People Affected by Conflict

682

Households Affected by Conflict

Land Area Affected (in Hectares)

55

ha

Starting Year

2017

Location of Conflict

Marangjing

Kambiron, Noney and Khumji villages

Noney

Reason or Cause of Conflict

Railways

Land Conflict Summary

As part of the Central governments Act East Policy, the first broad gauge railway line in Manipur for freight and passenger transport – spanning 111 kilometres – will connect Indias Northeast to ASEAN countries. Construction of the railway line began in 2010 without forest clearance, even though it is required under the Forest (Conservation) Act of 1980. In 2012, construction companies began excavations to build tunnels and bridges. Over the years, several families in the villages of Kambiron, Noney and Khumji in Noney district have been displaced without any resettlement or rehabilitation packages. In a consent of undertaking that was signed in June 2014 by land owners from six affected villages, the district forest official had stated that 23 houses in Khumji village, where the Tupul station is being built, will be affected by the railway project. However, 29 families were displaced from their homes in 2015 immediately after the compensation was paid. The Manipur government submitted claims that no families were displaced and, hence, formulated no plan for rehabilitation. The displaced farmers have been pushed to take up masonry. Meanwhile, construction activity has polluted the Ejei river, which has severely affected the livelihood of communities dependent on it. In July 2016, the district commissioners office issued a notice** **stating that the scheme of rehabilitation and resettlement under the 2013 Land Acquisition Act is not applicable and, therefore, may be exempted in this particular sense of land acquisition. No explanation for the exemption was offered. Since 2017, the residents have protested against the poor compensation they have received from the North East Frontier Railways (NFR), which is constructing the railway line, for their farmland and their subsequent displacement from their homes. The protesters were from Khumji, Marangjing, Kambiron villages in Noney district. According to K. Athuipou, chieftain of Khumji2 village, the compensation ranged from INR 70,000 to INR 5 lakh. "It took time and money to rebuild our lives and the compensation was just not enough," he was quoted as saying in a news report.
In 2017, the chairperson of the Ejei River Development Committee filed a petition in the National Green Tribunal (NGT). In the petition, the committee contended that the Ejei river was undergoing severe environmental and ecological damage due to the illegal discharge of dangerous untreated effluents and pollutants. This, they alleged in the petition, violated the Environment (Protection) Act of 1986, Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1974, the Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act of 1981, and the Code of Practice for Ready Mix Concrete (RMC) Plants. At least 10 cows have reportedly died from drinking the river water and several people have fallen sick. The Manipur State Pollution Control Board (MSPCB), Northeast Frontier Railways (NFR) and the Ministry of Railways denied these charges. The petition is still pending with the NGT. The NFR, railway ministry, MSPCB, the Manipur Directorate of Environment and the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change had each requested for more time to file their responses. The scheduled hearing in December 2017 did not take place since the vacancy for judges in the Eastern bench had not been filled. In March 2018, people from Tamenglong and Noney districts burnt an effigy of Tamenglong district Deputy Commissioner Armstrong Pame in the village for his alleged role in siphoning off the compensation money to two former residents of the village, who claim to be private owners of communityowned land. LCW could not confirm Pame's ties to the two individuals, but according to local sources, he has been implicated in several such cases. The same year, the railway project was interrupted for an entire month due to protests. Even though a date for a public hearing was advertised in the local newspapers, it did not take place. In June 2019, Pame's office refused to respond to RTI applications regarding sale deeds and compensation beneficiaries list. In 2020, Kambiron village chairman Dinrei Gangmei said that memorandums to the district commissioner of Tamenglong had been submitted for the resettlement of the villages. The only promise of employment also remains precarious because the local residents, so far, have only been temporarily employed in the construction companies so far.

Fact Sheet

Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Demand for more compensation than promised

Demand for rehabilitation

Complaint against procedural violations

Opposition against environmental degradation

Other Demand/Contention of the Affected Community

Region Classification

Rural

Type of Land

Common

Type of Common Land

Forest, Non-Forest (Other than Grazing Land)

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Details of sources (names of accused, names and numbers of any lawyers, names of any police officers contacted)

Status of Project

Original Project Deadline

Whether the Project has been Delayed

Significance of Land to Land Owners/Users

Whether the project was stalled due to land conflict

Source/Reference

Total investment involved (in Crores):

12524

Type of investment:

Cost of Project

Year of Estimation

Page Number In Investment Document:

Has the Conflict Ended?

No

When did it end?

Why did the conflict end?

Legal Data

Categories of Legislations Involved in the Conflict

Land Acquisition Laws, Forest and Scheduled Area Governance Laws, Environmental Laws

Legislations/Policies Involved

Electricity Act, 2003
Section 11 [This section provides for the power to take samples of air, water or soil and the procedure that must be followed]; Rule 6 [The rule provides detailed procedural requirements on taking samples]
Railways Act, 1989
Section 20A [This section empowers the Centre to issue notification to express its intent to acquire land for special railway projects]; Section 20(O) [This section states that the National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy, 2007, would be applicable for project-affected families]
Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980
Section 2 [This section restricts the allocation of reserved forest area by the state government to any party for non-forest purposes, except with the prior approval of the Central government]; Para 4.2 of the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change
Forest (Conservation) Rules, 2003
Rule 6 [This rule requires every user agency seeking to use forest land for non-forest purposes to submit a proposal to the Central government for approval]
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
Section 105(3): [R&R for acquisition done under the exempted statutes in the Fourth Schedule to be paid in accordance with the provisions of the LARR Act, 2013]
Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013
  1. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  2. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  3. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  4. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  5. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  6. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

  7. Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

    Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique. Duis cursus, mi quis viverra ornare, eros dolor interdum nulla, ut commodo diam libero vitae erat. Aenean faucibus nibh et justo cursus id rutrum lorem imperdiet. Nunc ut sem vitae risus tristique posuere.

Whether claims/objections were made as per procedure in the relevant statute

What was the claim(s)/objection(s) raised by the community?

What was the Decision of the Concerned Government Department?

Legal Processes and Loopholes Enabling the Conflict:

Non-rehabilitation of displaced people

Incorrect estimation of compensation

Non-implementation/violation of LARR Act

Violation of environmental laws

Legal Status:

In Court

Status of Case In Court

Pending

Whether any adjudicatory body was approached

Yes

Name of the adjudicatory body

Name(s) of the Court(s)

National Green Tribunal (Eastern Zone)

Case Number

Original Application No. 76/2017/EZ

Main Reasoning/Decision of court

Major Human Rights Violations Related to the Conflict:

No items found.

Reported Details of the Violation:

Date of Violation

Location of Violation

Additional Information

Government Departments Involved in the Conflict:

North East Frontier Railways, Manipur State Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Railways, Ministry of Environment, Forests and Climate Change

PSUs Involved in the Conflict:

Did LCW Approach Government Authorities for Comments?

Name, Designation and Comment of the Government Authorities Approached

Corporate Parties Involved in the Conflict:

Bharatiya Infrastructure Private Limited

Did LCW Approach Corporate Parties for Comments?

Communities/Local Organisations in the Conflict:

Information on the use of criminal law

What was the action taken by the police?

How many people did the police detain or arrest?

What is the current status of the detained/accused persons?

Did the person face any violence while in police custody?

If any arrests took place, were the accused persons produced before a judge within 24 hours of the arrest?

If the accused was not produced before a magistrate within 24 hours, or not produced at all, what were the reasons?

Legislation under which the accused was charged

Was the accused person informed of their right to legal representation? Did the accused person have access to legal aid?

In cases where the accused person approached the court for bail, was bail granted?

Why was bail granted or rejected? If granted, what were the bail conditions and quantum of bail?

Were there any other notable irregularities that took place, or other significant details?

Resources

Resources Related to Conflict

  • News Articles Related to the Conflict:
  • Documents Related to the Conflict:
  • Links Related to the Conflict:

Images

Image Credit:  

Image Credit:  

Video

Other Land Conflicts in Manipur

cross
    Not a member yet?
    Sign up now
    Conflicts Map
    Conflict Database
    About Us