Believe it or not, three new unauthorized Kuki settlements have popped up, encroaching on the legally demarcated jurisdiction of Chawangkining (Naga) Village in Kangpokpi District of Manipur. The Village Authority has now been compelled to bring this matter to public attention and calls on the district administration and all relevant authorities to conduct an immediate and impartial ground verification to uphold the legal and territorial integrity of Chawangkining Naga Village.
According to the Village Authority, the three unrecognized Kuki settlements—Khollen, Saikot, and West Haipi—have unlawfully erected village signboards, falsely claiming ownership of land, and installed boundary stones with the false assertion that the village was established in 1980. However, official records and ground realities confirm that there were no households in the area when Chawangkining Naga Village was formally recognized by the Government of Manipur in 2002.
The Village Authority also said that West Haipi Village, which now falsely claims territory within the village boundaries, was originally located below Maohing Kuki Village and led by one Late Tilkothang as its chief. Following his demise, a new village signboard bearing the name “West Haipi” was arbitrarily erected within the Chawangkining Naga jurisdiction without any legal recognition or official approval.
Furthermore, these unrecognized settlements continue to receive developmental benefits from the Office of the Deputy Commissioner, Kangpokpi District, by misrepresenting themselves as recognized villages. This fraudulent practice has led to serious administrative confusion and has unjustly deprived legitimate beneficiaries of their rightful access to government schemes and development programs, said Chawangkining Naga Village.
