Manipur News

CHANDEL, August 4: Residents of Sulam area in Chandel district have called for immediate attention of the State government towards erosion of the road that was hit by a sporadic massive landslide on July 31 at many sections of the Chandel-Vomku Road.

The local residents`™ call for attention of the government came along with a mass social work held today participated by a large numbers of village representatives and chiefs.

The social work was held under the leadership and guidance of Ts Kanlun Anal and Sh. Manglem Monsang, MDC of 13 Vomku and 11 Pantha respectively.

Briefing the media on the sideline Ts Kanlun said there are atleast 21 cases of landslides reported from several parts of the district in between Monsang Pantha and Chumthal, Chumthal and Khongjon, Vomku and Darchin, Darchin and Larong khullen, Larong Khullen and Duthang, Larong Khullen and Libung, Duthang and Libung, Larong Khullen and Larong khunou, Larong Khunou and Angbrasu, Vomku and Challong, Challong and paraolon, Paraolon and Kotal Khunthak, Phiran Leihou and Lampjoupasna, Phiran Lamphou Charu and Lamphou Pasna, Lamphou Charu and anal Khullen, Oklu and Phiran khullen, Anal Khullen and Oklu, Tarao Laimanai and Kongpe, Tarao Laimanai and NH 102 (Moreh).

Cracks have appeared at several places in the vicinity of Vomku, Challong,Angbrasu, Libung and larong Khullen triggering fear of sinking at any time, he said.

He also informed of the collapsed of two more suspension bridges between Larong Khullen and Libung villages and between Monsang Pantha and Thangkin.

While adding the damages of an initial pipe line structure at Challong village including supply pipelines between Vomku and Challong, Vomku and darchin and Darchin and Larong Khullen villages, the MDC urged the State authority to conduct spot enquiry to ascertain the fact for taking up necessary actions.

PEO chief of Khuwngjon R Angningden Moyon said with not even a footpath left of the road, the residents of the area has been totally cut off from the rest of the district since July 31.

Now, the villagers who use to travel on foot, motor bikes and trucks have no other means other than to take the steep road through the dense forest of the hills.

MDC of 11 Pantha Sh Manglem while talking to media maintained that Chandel Vomku raod is the lifelife of Sulam area Dingpi area.

Saying that the damage of the road rendered the people of area `isolated`™ from the rest of the district, urgred the State government help the residents got `a motor able road`™ at the earliest to ease their problems and sufferings.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/sulam-villagers-appeal-for-immediate-attention-towards-their-landslide-affected-road/

IMPHAL, August 4: Pointing out that the government`™s decision to close down all educational institutions from July 9 in fear of reprisal from the students following the death of Sapam Robinhood has only aggravated the ongoing mass movement, the Joint Committee on Inner Line Permit System (JCILPS) said that resumption of class in the educational institutions from August 3 by an order of the government will not succeed to deter the mass movement.

A press statement signed by assistant media co-ordinator of JCILPS Md Kheirudin Shah Moijingmayum asserted that students agitating to press for enactment of an acceptable bill despite the resumption of class in the educational institutions is obvious given the fact that the body of Sapam Robinhood who was killed in the hands of police during a protest demonstration is still lying in JNIMS morgue.

The refusal to accept Robinhood`™s body is due to the utter failure of the government to pass a new bill acceptable to all sections of the people and suspend those police personnel involved in the killing of the young student, it said.

The deceased`™s parents are still in pain anticipating about the due performance of last rites of their son, it said.

How can the students attend class and listen to lecture before Robinhood`™s last rites are performed, the statement asked.

It further accused the government of using excessive police forces against student protestors.

Reiterating that what the committee and people want from the government is only enough political will to pass a new bill to safeguard the indigenous people from the unchecked influx of outsiders into the State, it cautioned the people against the agents who are trying to divert the people`™s attention from the ongoing mass movement.

The JCILPS in its statement appealed to the protestors and supporters of ILPS movement not to cause disturbance to media persons, medical services, religious procession, ambulance and water supply during the ongoing state-wide 48-hour general strike imposed by JCILPS Students`™ Wing.

The committee also demanded the government to take up stringent action those police personnel who caused injuries to ILPS protestors including students so that they being policemen do not commit such brutality in future.

Meanwhile, the JCILPS Students`™ Wing has vehemently condemned the police brutality against student protestors mainly the act of police officer G Thaingampou (City Unit Commando) who was seen pulling hair of a girl student protestor in broad daylight.

In a statement, the Students`™ Wing asked the deputy Chief Minister Gaikhangam who also holds the portfolio of Home as to why no action has been taken up against the erring police officer yet.

The Students`™ Wing also demanded resignation of Education Minister Moirangthem Okendro for allowing the police clampdown on student protestors who were protesting outside his office at New Secretariat demanding introduction of ILPS in the State and resumption of normal class in their educational institutions.

Several key government offices including ZEO Imphal East; Trade & Commerce Department; Census Department, Porompat; Nehru Yuva Kendra, Porompat; Art & Culture Department, Konung Mamang; SDC Wangoi; SDO Wangoi and ZEO Wangoi have been closed down as part of the agitation launched by the Students`™ Wing, the statement claimed.

It also appealed to its supporters and ILPS protestors to allow free passage to media persons, medical services and religious procession during the ongoing general strike.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/jcilps-students-wing-shuts-down-govt-offices-demands-education-ministers-resignation/

IMPHAL, August 4: The Scheduled Tribe Demand Committee, Manipur has strongly appealed to the State government to take timely and necessary steps for the incursion of the Meetei in the Scheduled Tribe list on India.

Speaking at a press conference at the Manipur Press Club today, general secretary of the STDCM Laishram Lokendra Singh made a fervent appeal to the State government to give more emphasis to the demand.

He said the State Chief Minister and the council of ministers should consider the demand with utmost importance and discuss it thoroughly.

It is, he said, a time bound demand and the committee has been considering all options.

Lokendra said the committee has found a letter dated June 2, 2015 sent by the joint secretary, Government of India, Ashok Pai to the State government on the subject `Streamlining of Procedure for Scheduling of communities as STs.`

In the letter, the joint secretary had said that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had constituted a new system `Task force on scheduling of tribes and matters related` in February 2014 under the chairman of Dr Hrisikesh Panda, the then secretary Ministry of tribal Affairs, GOI, he informed media persons.

He continued under the new system, the Task Force had consultations with the representatives of State government/ UTs, Tribal Research Institute of the States and Central Ministries/ Departments and the National Commission for Schedule tribes.

Lokendra said it was also mentioned that the present modalities of the new task force and the concerns therein includes only those proposals, which have been recommended and justified by the concern State government, and concurred with by the Registrar General of India (RGI) and the National Commission for Schedule Tribes (NCST), are to be considered for amendment of legislation.

It was also indicated in the letter that such proposals will be sent sequentially to the RGI and the National Commission for the Scheduled Tribes and any disagreement from any one agency will automatically stop processing of the proposal which is cumbersome and time consuming, he said.

The letter had also informed the State government that there is no space for collective wisdom and no role for Anthropological Survey of India, (AnSI) the premier anthropological agency.

The joint secretary had also informed the State in his letter that there will be a committee of Secretaries chaired by Secretary (MoTA) for the process of scheduling/de-scheduling of a community as ST, he said.

The committee will also comprise of secretary, Ministry of Home Affairs; secretary, Ministry of Culture; secretary; Department of Social Justice and empowerment and secretary, Depart of Legal Affairs according to the letter, he said.

When a proposal is received from a state/UT government, it will be simultaneously circulated to NCST, RGI and AnSI, which will required to submit their opinion in writing within six months period.

The letter had also informed the State that in case a proposal was received from another source other than the government of the concern State/ UT, it will be sent back to the concern State/ UT and the concern TRI is also required to submit its report in writing within six months period and if the proposal has adequate supporting documents including ethnographic report it will be circulated to the RGI, NCST and AnSI apart from the concern State government and the TRI, he said.

The three agencies also have to give their opinions in writing within six months period, he said.

Even if one or more of the authorities have either not send their written comments or disagreed with any proposal, the committee of secretaries may hold a meeting and examine the case(s) within one month of the above dateline, he continued.

Laishram Lokendra Singh asserted that since the issue is of a very serious matter which affects the community of Meitei, which is the largest community in Manipur and considering the larger interest of the Meitei and the ST Demand Committee, Manipur, the State government should bring up the matter during a cabinet meeting and discuss it before a recommendation is submitted to the GOI.

He also added that the Committee has been demanding Meetei for the inclusion of ST for the past two years but the state government has been repressing the issue till date.

Further reiterating that the initiatives will bring harmony in the society based on ethnic social equality in Manipur and it would bring an end to the constitutional social division of indigenous people of the state as tribals and non tribals.

The press conference was also attended by president STDCM, prof Y Mohendra and vice president B Angousana Sharma.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/consider-st-demand-with-utmost-importance-demand-committee-urges-state-government/

IMPHAL, August 4: The Okram Ibobi Singh led Congress government in the State should be held responsible for all the issues confronting the State including the high-handedness of the State security personnel, escalating Inner Line Permit System agitations, flood, etc, Manipur Peoples`™ Party president N Sovakiran said today.

Speaking to media persons at the party office, Sovakiran said the collapse of several bridges and dams during the recent flood are not natural calamities as the government claims to be, but in fact those were man-made calamities.

The bridges which were swept away in the water current were not properly constructed and bound to be swept away, he said.

For this the government should be blamed, he added.

Attacking the Congress for their lack of apathy for the people, he said they should not observe Gandhi Jayenti on October 2, because they do not follow the basic principal of Mahatma Gandhi.

Reacting to the much criticized acts of the police towards girl students during the ongoing ILPS movement, he said under the control of State Home minister Gaikhangam, the State security personnel seem to have forgotten how to act towards women.

The police officer who had reportedly dragged a girl student by the hair yesterday while trying to control a student protest should be terminated immediately, he demanded.

Today in the State, the State force is acting like the personal guard of the Home minister, he claimed.

MPP advisor L Chandramani Singh also spoke at the press conference welcoming the signing of the Peace Accord between the government of India and the NSCN (IM).

He however, said that if the accord contains anything which will disintegrate the territorial limit of Manipur, then the party will not remain silent.

It is regrettable that the details of the peace accord are not yet disclosed to the public, he said.

Read more / Original news source: http://kanglaonline.com/2015/08/bridge-collapse-not-natural-calamity-but-manmade-mpp-lambasts-congress/