Central team suggests comprehensive action plan for Manipur

IMPHAL, Apr 26: After reviewing the law and order situation of the State with officials of the State Government and members of the Combined Headquarters, the central team led by Union Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrasekhar suggested formulating a ‘comprehensive action plan’ to tackle the problem of insurgency and to check the extortion spree. On the other hand, the central team assured to construct 1500 houses in 21 villages located in New Somtal area in the aftermath of the counter insurgency operation launched there some time back.

The law and order situa-tion of the State was studied jointly during a meeting held at the conference hall of Old Secretariat southern block today. Besides the central team which inclu-ded Union Home Secretary Madhukar Gupta and De-fence Secretary Vijay Singh who were on a two day visit to the State, the meeting was also attended by GOC 3 Corps, GOC 57 Mountain Division, top officials of Assam Rifles, CRPF, intel-ligence agencies and the State Police Department.

Briefing media persons after the review meeting, Union Cabinet Secretary KM Chandrasekhar stated that basic purpose of the team’s visit to Manipur is to assess prevailing situation of the State directly.

The meeting discussed on enhancing coordination between State and central agencies based in the State. It was also agreed to pro-vide all possible assistance to the State agencies from the side of the central agencies after identifying the basic problems being encountered by the State agencies, he informed.

On being asked about their assessment of the pre-vailing situation in Mani- pur, the Union Cabinet Secretary said the team was here to discuss all possible measures that could help solve the existing problem.

Saying that they were not here to find out lapses on the part of the State Government, Chandrase-khar, nevertheless, disclos- ed that all the members of the visiting team would present their own reports to their respective Ministries.

On the other hand, a reliable source informed The Sangai Express that the Central team urged upon the State Government to formulate a comprehensive action plan to tackle the problem of insurgency and extortion in the State.

They also maintained that security agencies should be allowed to take up necessary actions against elected representatives ha-ving close links with UG elements. Over ground wor-kers of various UG groups should also be identified at the earliest, the central team insisted.

While asking the State Govt to study feasibility of Heirok people’s demand to provide them guns can be met by constituting village defence committee or village guards, the central team instructed the State officials to speed up border fencing work for a stretch of 10 kms on Moreh side of the Indo-Myanmar border, conveyed the source.

Taking serious note of frequent bandhs and bloc-kades on National high- ways, the team suggested that State Govt utilise ser-vice of the army, if the State feels it necessary, to deter such disruptive activities. The meeting also deliberated on deactivating mobile phone numbers found misused and to take up actions against the concerned service providers.

On the part of the State officials, they urged upon the central team to talk with leaders of Naga militant groups and stop them from robbing goods transported along national highways.

During the meeting, DGP Y Joykumar presented a po-wer point on the counter- measures and methods being taken up and employed by Manipur Police.

From this year, the BRO would be constructing additional 78 kms of NH 39 in addition to the highway stretch already under its care, said Union Defence Secretary Vijay Singh. The BRO would also construct another road from NH 150 till Tipaimukh, he added.

Making a review of the various projects/schemes being implemented in the State, the Central team assured that the Jiribam- Tupul railway line will be completed by 2012 and this would be extended up to Imphal 2014. The meeting studied on the necessity to acquire 40 acres of land in Malom where a station for the Imphal-Jiribam railway line will be constructed. As for the 8.1 kms long tunnel which should be construct-ed as a part of the Jiribam- Imphal railway line, necessary approval has been sou- ght from the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, informed the Central team.

After deliberating on the need to construct an oil depot which can stock petrol required for 60 days at Malom where the railway station should be built, the Union Cabinet secretary assured that construction works for an oil depot which can stock petrol for 30 days’ requirement will be initiated this year. The Central Govt has also agreed to reconstruct 1500 houses at 21 villages in New Somtal area under the Rural Development Ministry at the cost of Rs 27,500 per house which were affected during the counter insurgency operation launched there some time back, said the central team at the meeting. They also expressed their desire to investigate into the mysterious disappearance of bitumen worth Rs 6.80 crores belonging to the State Works Dept by a central agency. Nevertheless, the central team appreciated the State Govt for implementing the NREGS in the State properly. Based on the reports collected by the team, the Union Cabinet Secretary will submit a report to the Prime Minister, added the source.

DONER sanctions 12 projects for State

Manipur Info Centre

NEW DELHI, April 26: The Union Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) sanctioned 12 projects with a total cost of Rs 83.85 crore for Manipur during the financial year 2007-08.

Under Health Sector, five projects namely – Construction of 10 Primary Health Centres in valley areas with a cost of Rs 7.86 crore, construction of 32 Primary Health Sub Centres in hill areas (Rs 5.45 crore), construction of 18 Primary Health Sub Centres in valley areas (Rs 2.57 crore), Improvement of Jawaharlal Nehru Hospital (Rs 17.55 crore) and construction of Veterinary hospitals in 9 districts (Rs 749 crore) were sanctioned.

Under Water Supply Sector, four projects namely – Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme at Konthoujam (Rs 8.86 crore), Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme at Purul (Rs 4.29 crore), Augmentation of Water Supply at Tungjoy (Rs 2.16 crore) and Augmentation of Water Supply Scheme at Unopat and surrounding villages in Manipur (Rs 2.97 crore) were sanctioned.

Under Roads and Bridges Sector, three projects namely – Improvement of Jiri-Tipaimukh Road from 8 km to 48 km (Rs 18.56 crore), Improvement of Lamsang-Khonghampat Road from 8 km to 54 km (Rs 2.68 crore) and Modernisation of Kakching Ithei Maru Main Canal (Rs 3.41 crore).

During the year 2006-07, the Ministry of DoNER sanctioned 14 projects with a total cost of Rs 117.17 crore for Manipur.

Under Health Sector, six projects namely- Construction of Dharamsala Building at Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (Rs 2.82 crore), construction and equipping of 50 bedded hospital each at Ukhrul District (Rs 13.97 crore), Tamenglong District (Rs 14.97 crore), Chandel District (Rs 13.16 crore), Jiribam Sub-Division (Rs 15,64 crore) and Senapati District (Rs 14.26 crore) were sanctioned.

Under Roads and Bridges Sector, construction for six bridges over Heirok River at Heirok Chingdongpok (Rs 2.20 crore), over Thoubal River at Haokha (Rs 2.76 crore), over Thoubal River at Leisangthem (Rs 3.42 crore), over Thoubal River at Irong Ichin (Rs 3.34 crore), over Imphal River at Kiyamgei Mang Mapa (Rs 4.71 crore) and over Khuga River at Kumbi (Rs 4.32 crore) were sanctioned.

Under Education sector, a sum of Rs 3.78 crore was sanctioned for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and under Sports Sector, a sum of Rs. 18.43 crore was sanctioned for establishment of National Sports Academy at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex.

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Highway bandh

By Our Staff Reporter

IMPHAL, Apr 26: In denunciation of the alleged failure of the State Government to track down murderers of two Anal women in a thoubal district area last month, the All Tribal Women’s Organisation (ATWO) sponsored indefinite National Highway 39 bandh has come into force from today.

Bullet riddled bodies of LH Esther Anal (30) and PS Snowy Anal (27), both from Chakpikarong sub-division of Chandel district were found on March 22 with strong suspicion that modesty of the ladies were outraged by the perpetrators.

The ATWO and other social bodies had earlier prevailed upon the State Government to crack the case with even the Chief Minister reportedly setting a time frame to pull up the guilty persons and punish them accordingly for the ghastly crime.

As neither the Government could arrest the culprits nor honour demand for payment of adequate compensation to family members of the slain women, the ATWO, as was already pronounced, went ahead with the agitation programme.

Even though there is no violent incident in connection with bandh call, vehicles, particularly in Chandel district stayed off the road with a exception of a few vehicles engaged in emergency services.

Moreover, ATWO functionaries asserted that Government offices in the district would be shut down from April 28 in case of failure on the part of the State authorities to nab the killers.

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KSO shuts Govt offices, warns more agitation

S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, Apr 26: Most of the Government offices here ceased the day’s chores at 11am today following the KSO, Chura- chandpur block’s diktat to do so in a bid to mark their protest against the Government decision to drop the Rs 40 crore mini-secretariat project.

The KSO protest comes at a time when many intel-lectuals here were taken aback by the news report on the decision to drop the multi-crore project only in Churachandpur district.

At a press conference later in the day, KSO leaders accused the Government of neglecting the district and questioned on what basis the project had to be drop-ped. They also claimed that the project site is not the ground for their agitation today but the decision thereof to drop the project.

Maintaining that location/site of the project doesn’t matter for them as long as the project is undertaken in the district, the student leaders said it is the Government that should see the ‘right place’ for the project. And, the KSO will accept that decision, irres-pective of the site, they said.

Claiming that the KSO has lodged its reservation on the Government’s deci-sion, the KSO leaders who addressed the media along-side their counter-parts in TKSU said they will wait till Monday for the Govern-ment to take ‘positive steps.’

However, if the Govern-ment still fails to initiate anything concrete by then, they warned of a more intense and severe form of agitation.

“Until that time the Government agrees to re-sume the project and inti- mate a clear cut time frame for initiating the same, we will step no inch back,’ Sonkhomang, president of TKSU general head-quarters, who also addressed the media, said.

Opium seized: Imphal East Drug Cell yesterday seized 9 kg of opium from one Leishangthem ratan Singh (32) s/o (L) L Modhu Singh of Langthabal Kunja Makha Leikai while he was carrying the same for selling at New Checkon, said a press release of Imphal East.

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MU strike
IMPHAL, Apr 26: In pursuit of their demands for reservation of tribal candidates in Manipur University and other central institutions, the Manipur University Tribal Students’ Union (MUTSU) has called a general strike within the MU campus on April 28. A press release issued by MUTSU said that all classes and administrative works will remain closed on the day.
It is irritating and unnecessary for the UGC team to visit Manipur University in connection with upgrada-tion and implementation of UGC rules in MU when the tribal community of Manipur is deprived of their rights, it stated. It also decried the failure of both the Central and State Governments to redress the grievances of tribals students/communities in Manipur University.
If any untoward incident happens to any one defying the general strike including the visiting UGC team, MUTSU should not be held responsible, added the release.

The Sangai Express