Mail News Service
Imphal, June 19 : Manipur Assembly today discussed and passed demands for grants for five departments. The demands were Rs 378 cr for health, Rs 173 cr for environment and forest, Rs 212 cr for community development, Rs 181 cr for public health engineering and Rs 14 cr for labour and employment.
L Ibomcha said ambulance services should be started by the hospitals and the services if properly implemented will be self reliant. All the private clinics, hospitals should be monitored regularly. One time issuing of licence is not the solution he added.
Ibomcha pointed out that for the last one decade he has been raising the issue of unavailability of drinking water but there is no improvement. Consumers do not get bills and where there is no water supply bills are issued he said. There is shortage of about 233 staff in the water supply department he said. Government should dig up ponds and implement water harvesting programmes he said.
Dr I Ibohalbi said roads were not properly maintained even where there are large numbers of tourists. There is a decline in prevalence of HIV and AIDS however rate of death due to Hepatitis C is increasing. Government should frame policies to provide assistance to people living with AIDS to fight Hep C related diseases he said.
Chief Minister, O Ibobi Singh said his government has been trying to improve conditions of the people. Special focus is given to street vendors however the matter was sensitive and women vendors do not agree to the proposals made by the government. It is hard to convince the vendors not to sell products in the busy city areas he said.
A proposal has been sent to the centre to help in constructing a market complex for women in the city areas the CM said. At Lamphel area government is also considering of constructing mini sheds for women vendors he added.
Ngamthang Haokip, Minister Irrigation said the Thoubal multipurpose project started in 1977 at an estimated cost of Rs 47 cr however in 2011 it was estimated at Rs 1387 cr. Ministry of environment and forest has also given approval in principle for the project.
Kh Ratan, Minister works informed the House that parking activities in the city areas were entrusted to the Imphal Municipal council.
Not only violating the rights of the people, the Armed Forces Special Power Act (AFSPA), 1958 has been charged of being an instrument for mass deforestation in Manipur.
He said AFSPA, 1958 was also an instrument of deforestation in the region. Dr I Ibohalbi blamed the controversial act (AFSPA) for empowering the security personnel in the state to cut down trees in the region.
“Security forces deployed in the state have been cutting down trees of the forest for security purpose”, he said, adding that the act of the security forces was amidst global concerned about the rising temperature and climatic change.
He said the security force which has been deployed in the forest area of the state has been cutting down trees as counter attacks from rebel groups, alleging that many trees which have been planted at Sanatapham area near Maibam Lotpa Ching in Bishnupur area has been cut down by the security forces deployed there.
He said the AFSPA has been helping the security forces in clearing forest region of the area and drew the attention of the house to take up appropriate measures to control mass cutting down of trees of the forest for security reasons.
He observed that the total reserved forest area of the state has been reduced to 730 square kilometer. Rampant deforestation has been taking place across the state and this has made every one worried and it was time the government make some concrete policy to control the deforestation.
He said after 50 years from today the state may face a desert like situation if steps to control mass deforestation was taken up from today. He further stressed the need of changing the life styled of tribal people in the hill districts of the state so that their livelihood now depending on forest could be reduced. Ibohalbi also demanded environment and forest minister to table a detail account of areas where jhum cultivation was still practice.
He said the tribal people are cutting the trees of the forest due to their requirements and as they fully depends on the product available in the forest.
“The government need to improve the socioeconomic condition of the people living in the forest area by introducing various schemes if it is serious to protect the environment and this has to be initiated by the forest department” Ibohalbi added.
L Ibomcha on the other hand charged that now drugs manufactured by good companies have not been supplied in the Government hospitals in the state and suggested that enhancement of capabilities of these hospitals will naturally minimize the disturbances caused to the public.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/assembly-discusses-health-water-environment-issues/
