IMPHAL, October 23: Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam today declared that there is still no breakthrough in regards to the anti-bills protest in the hill districts of the State however attempts are continuing from the government side to bring a solution to the issue.
Gaikhangam was answering to media persons in the sideline of the inaugural function of “Free Cochlear Implant Surgery in Manipur” at the Department of ENT, JN Institute of Medical Sciences, Porompat today.
The first Cochlear implantation in Manipur under the Assistance to Disabled Persons Scheme (ADIP) was launched today at JNIMS
Speaking to media persons, Gaikhangam said “We (State Government) are not giving up attempts to bring a solution.”
“The CM and our cabinet ministers are very unhappy with this situation where the dead bodies of our sons and brothers are still lying without performing their last rites.”
The State government as well as the people of Manipur do not want this situation, he said.
“We are trying in every possible manner and I hope a breakthrough will arrive soon,” he added.
When asked about the government’s stand on the anti-bills protesters intensifying their protest by calling bandhs and highway blockade and even announcing boycott of two Congress MLAs including deputy Speaker and a parliamentary secretary, he replied that “it is not a new strategy and it is something expected.”
“We live in a democratic country so everyone here has the right to expression. What we (government) are saying is to protest in a democratic manner.”
“We appealed not to impose bandh and blockade because it only makes the public suffer.”
“Let’s sort out things with dialogue and discussion,” he appealed.
“As we cannot keep agitating the entire time normalcy will return for sure,” he added.
When asked why the government is not able to take any concrete action against the highway blockade, he said, the issues involved ‘social factor.’
Even though there are laws there is again a matter of whether the laws can be actually implemented or not in ground reality, he said.
“We are handling the situation very carefully. However if criminal activities are reported unabated we will not remain silent,” he added.
When asked about the preparations of his party in connection with upcoming election of two Assembly Constituencies – Thangmeiband and Thongju, he replied his party is always prepared for election.
“We are hopeful of winning the two seats,” he added.
The Cochlear implantation programme under the theme “Free Cochlear Implant Surgery in Manipur” was organized by the Department of ENT, JN Institute of Medical Sciences, Porompat in collaboration with the Manipur Branch of Association of Otolaryngologists of India.
The inaugural function was attended by Deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam as the chief guest, Social Welfare & Co-operation minister Ak Mirabai Devi, Health & State Mission director Dr O Ibomcha Singh, JNIMS director Deben Laishram as the guests of honour and AOI Manipur Branch president Dr RK Bedajit Singh as the president.
According to a newsletter released at the function, Cochlear implant is an electronic device that can be surgically implanted to stimulate cochlea to provide sense of hearing for severely or profound hearing impaired patients.
It has an internal component which is surgically implanted and consists of stimulator or receiver and an array of electrodes which directly stimulates the cochlea. The external component consists of microphone, processor and transducer or transmitter.
This programme will be continuing programme and three severely deaf children one from Chandel, one from Ukhrul and one for Patsoi, Imphal West are being posted for cochlear implantation in the first programme. These children will develop speech if they start hearing sounds after the cochlear implant surgery.
Padmashree Prof Mohan Kameswaran, Managing Director and senior ENT Surgeon of International repute of Madras ENT Research Foundation, Chennai, a pioneer in cochlear implant surgery and Brainstem implant surgery and Dr Sunil Goyal, also of Madras ENT Research Foundation will be the guest faculty.
Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/10/govt-still-looking-for-breakthrough-in-antibills-protest-gaikhangam/