IMPHAL August 4: Amidst much hue and cry over the demand for a full fledged Sadar hills district of the Sadar Hills districthood Demand Committee and the alleged apathy of the government on the issue, another demand for a separate district out of Chandel district is snowballing.
The Chandel unit of Kuki Chiefs’ Association and Kuki Students’ Organization, today consented to intensify the demand for a full fledged Tengnoupal district out of Chandel district during a media conference organized jointly by the chiefs’ association and KSO at Tengnoupal in Chandel district today.
T.L. Haokhokhai Hoakip, president of the Chiefs’ Association, Chandel unit, while addressing the conference said that the demand for a full fledged Tengnoupal district evolved on September 1, 1970 with the formation of Tengnoupal district demand committee alongside the demand for Sadar hills district demanded by the SHDC.
However, even after several appeals and agitations, the government has still failed to respond positively to the demands for a separate Tengnoupal district, although the government has already responded to similar demands which have evolved in recent times in the state, said Haokhokhai Hoakip, referring to the statement made by the Chief Minister recently during a press conference wherein he hinted that the government is considering on the formation of a new district each from Churachandpur,Ukhrul and Jiribam sub division.
Resenting over the apparent apathy of the government over their years long demand for a separate district, Haokhokhai Hoakip demanded the government for an explanation to why Chandel was being excluded from the others.
Seconding Haokhokhai Hoakip, Thangjalet Mate, president of Chandel unit of Kuki Students Organization condemned the government over the issue and said that previously in 2006 a memorandum was submitted to the then Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh, however he has failed to entertained any response to the memorandum till date, even though he is still the Chief Minister.
Further condemning the CM for his statement made recently, Thangjalet Mate demanded positive assurance from the government within a definite time frame. If the government fails to respond within a specific short notice indefinite economic blockade along with other forms of agitations will follow on the Chandel stretch of NH 39, he warned.
Keeping in view of the population and the different communities and tribes residing in Tengnoupal the demand for separate district to be formed from the present Chandel district is just, Mate said while justifying their separate district demand.
According to his statement, Tengnoupal has a population of about 70,000 individuals inhabiting in various places. The people residing here faces lots of inconvenience on a regular basis when they go to the district headquarter, in terms of transportations and communications, etc.
Later, the leaders present during the conference expressed their support for the ongoing demand for full fledged Sadar hills District. However, the leaders added that the violence at the National highway which has cropped during the last two/three days of the ongoing demand of a separate Sadar hills district initiated by the SHDC is very unfortunate.
The other prominent members of both organizations were also present during media conference held at Tengnoupal, this morning.