Imphal, Oct. 20: The fresh census in three subdivisions of Manipur’s Naga-dominated Senapati district has turned out to be an exercise in futility with residents refusing to co-operate with the enumerators.

The Okram Ibobi Singh government ordered a fresh survey in 19 subdivisions of the hill and valley districts when the 2001 provisional census report, published recently, showed an abnormal growth in population in some areas.

According to the report, the rate of growth in some subdivisions was as much as 150 per cent and abnormally low — even less than 10 per cent — in some other areas.

An official source said enumerators met with resistance from villagers while attempting to do a headcount again in Purul, Paomata and Mao-Maram subdivisions. He said: “When the survey team went there, the houses were locked. The few villagers present there refused to say anything.”

Appeals by two cabinet members from Senapati district — horticulture minister R.K. Thekho and general administration department minister Francis Ngajokpa — did not evoke any response from the villagers.

The provisional report of the 2001 census mentioned an abnormal increase in the population of all three subdivisions. Purul recorded a population growth of 168.78 per cent, followed by Mao-Maram (143.14 per cent) and Paomata (122.64 per cent). The second survey was conducted between October 6 and 12.

Lamsang in Imphal West district recorded a 1.5 per cent rise in population since the last census. Similarly, Tipaimukh and Singhat subdivisions of the hill district of Churachandpur recorded a marginal population growth of 5.75 and 6.41 per cent.

The Ibobi Singh cabinet decided to order a fresh headcount after discussions with a team from the Union home ministry and the registrar-general of census operations.

The government is concerned over the contents of the provisional census report because the next delimitation of Assembly constituencies will be based on the latest population statistics. If the 2001 census report is accepted, the valley could lose five constituencies to the hills.

“The discrepancies and the refusal of the villagers to co-operate with the officials confirm that the provisional report is incorrect,” Ibobi Singh said.

The Re-Census Protest Committee of Senapati district described the fresh survey as unconstitutional and unauthorised. “This is an attempt to deny the tribal people their rights,” a member said.

The organisation said a large section of people from other districts migrated to Senapati in the wake of the Kuki-Naga clashes.