Tamenglong electricity office shut down
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 30 2011: Giving vent to their anger and frustration over the frequent power cuts, leaving them literally in the dark, people of Tamenglong district today shut down the electricity office.

A number of Zeliangrong civil bodies had earlier threatened to launch various forms of agitation if the State Power Department failed to give regular power supply in the district ahead of the ongoing matriculation examination that began on March 25, Saul Kamei, a key leader of the district's Zeliangrong Students' Union (ZSU) said today.

Zeliangrong is an acronym of three Naga tribes – Zemei, Liangmei and Rongmei – living in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland and in Manipur they are dominantly settled in Tamenglong district.

"We have repeatedly urged the Minister concerned and even power officials including an Assistant Engineer serving in the district headquarters to supply power for at least a few hours on daily basis in view of the ongoing matriculation examination.

Though they assured to comply with our demands, no regular power supply has been arranged since the last few weeks blacking out the whole district," lamented Kamei.

The non-supply of power has forced the people particularly the poor students and their families to procure candles and kerosene for exam preparations incurring huge amount of money.

"Since our legitimate demands have been blissfully ignored by the power authorities, members of ZSU locked the electricity office at the district headquarters today," he said.

Tamenglong, which is the most backward district in Manipur, has been reeling under acute lack of power supply since the last few decades, he said adding that the commissioning of Loktak hydroelectric project in 1984 has also given no benefits to the district at all.

The student leader fuirther warned of more intense agitation if the department fails to supply power by Friday and the Government should be held responsible for any eventualities that might crop up during the course of the agitation.

ZSU's stir comes at a time when the State Govt has intensified its drive against unauthorized power consumers mostly in the valley districts of Imphal West, Imphal East, Bishnupur and Thoubal.

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