Students hold prayer to stop encroachment at Kohima Science College

Principal Correspondent
Kohima, September 16

Finding no respite from the state government and the district administration despite making several appeals, Kohima Science College Students Union (KSCSU) in collaboration with All Nagaland College Students’ Union (ANCSU) today held prayer service seeking Almighty’s grace to stop land encroachment. Similar prayer hour was also held in colleges, both government and private, across the state under the aegis of ANCSU.
The College was established at an area of 180 acres of land but presently it has been brought down to 133 acres with a total 144 cases of land encroachments within the vicinity.
Highlighting the need for prayer service, KSCSU general secretary Mangai Phom said it was “not to create a hostile or enmity between the parties but to reconcile together and work together for the future of Nagas to give them a complete understanding”.
He said Kohima Science College belongs to people of the State and that with autonomy granted to the college more post graduate courses and other departments would be coming up in the future. Therefore, he said, land is required for all such expansion.
He lamented that initially the College had a total of 180 acres of land but it has been reduced by encroachment of piece and now it has hardly 133 acres of land left.
KSCSU general secretary therefore expressed the hope that the God would grant wisdom and knowledge to the encroachers.
KSCSU also appealed to the general public to support the cause while urging the state government to stop land encroachment within the land granted to Kohima Science College.
ANCSU president Tsukjem Longkumer expressed that not only KSC Jotsoma but several government colleges are suffering for land encroachment. Touching on II Chronicles and Hebrews, he said though manpower things may not be possible but the students’ community is hopeful that the power of prayer will help in solving the problem, which has been going on for several decades now. He also acknowledged ANCSU units throughout the state for hold similar programme.
Talking to this correspondent, KSCSU official said besides numerous private RCC and kutcha houses being build on the encroached land, some government constructions include PHED Water Reservoir (constructed destroying Principal’s residence), Music Academy (constructed destroying College Hostel), Doordharshan Kendra Kohima and also playfield constructed on encroached land by a private college, while there are numerous RCC and kutcha residence of individuals, those issued land patta by government and without any land pattas.
It may be mentioned here that the then Minister for Higher & technical Education Dr. Shürhozelie Liezietsu held at meeting on May 17, 2010 which was attended by senior bureaucrats, land revenue officers and police. During the meeting it was decided that the government would first take action on the third category of KSC land i.e. encroachment without any allotment order while the DC Kohima was asked to initiate necessary eviction procedures by serving of notices.
The latest meeting was held at DC Office Kohima last month, wherein it was decided that the District Administration and Jotsoma Village Council would work together to identify the encroachers and carry out eviction drive. However, KSCSU lamented that no action seems to have been initiated till date.
Led by KSC EU President Imnameren, invocation was pronounced by Assistant Prayer Secretary Kanglila Sangtam while the mass prayer seeking Lord’s intervention against land encroachment was led by Natur’s Club Secretary Tsumain and KSCSU AGS Salangdangba tendered the vote of thanks.