Imphal, February 09: SPF Govt is doing everything within its means to upgrade Sadar Hills into a full Hedged revenue dist within a short period, informed Chief Minister O Ibobi and Revenue Minister E Biramani while answering to a call attention motion raised by ruling MLA C Doungel during the Assembly session today.

Today's Assembly session began with the Opposition members, who were already seated inside the House, walking out immediately on seeing Speaker TN Haokip approaching the hall to preside the session.

As a result the Assembly's business was discussed one after another without the Opposition members.

Raising the motion, Doungel said that the people of Sadar Hills are very annoyed with the State Govt for the lack of development in Sadar Hills inspire of the State attaining its Statehood in 1972.Even though the North East States Re-Organization Act 1971 had recommended, setting up six Autonomous Dist Councils in the State, only five Hill dists have been set up till date without any consideration for Sadar Hills areas, lamented C Doungel.

Stating that the demand for a full .fledged Sadar Hills Dist is not akin to the demand for a separate homeland, Doungel said that the demand has been raised to bring about all round development and peace in Sadar Hills.

The SPF Govt should not follow the footsteps of its predecessors but convert its words into action and meet the demand of the people in the shortest time, he added.

Doungel also stated that it was very unfortunate that the Governor inspite of assuring to bring about all round development in the State during his address on the opening day of the Winter Session failed to mention even a single word on the Sadar Hills issue.

Revenue Minister E Biramani who also spoke during the session today said that the demand of the Sadar Hills' people is legitimate and justified.

SPF Govt will leave no stone unturned to upgrade Sadar Hills to the status of a full fledged revenue dist, added the Minister.

Besides the Cabinet passing resolutions for upgrading the Sadar Hills into a dist on July 14 1982 during the Chief Minister-ship of Rishang Keishing and again on Jan 10, 2000 during the chief Ministership of W Nipamacha, Minister E Biramani said that the matter has been included in the election manifestoes of all the State's political parties so that it could be translated into action.

C Doungel however out rightly rejected Biramani's statement that the upgradation of Sadar hills is presently not possible as the whole country is currently undergoing delimitation works and that the matter requires the assent of all the different communities' residing in the Sadar Hills.

The Revenue Minister informed that survey works for defining the boundary of the Sadar Hills Dist when fully upgraded into a full fledged dist have also been completed.

Chief Minister O Ibobi also disclosed that his Govt is looking into all the minute details with regard to the demand of the Sadar Hills people and added that the people need not worry for it is only a matter of time for Sadar Hills area to be upgraded to a full fledged revenue dist.

Answering to a query from C Doungel, Chief Minister O Ibobi said that he has no knowledge about any Government office being shifted from the Sadar Hills recently.

He however assured that he would look into the charges and see the veracity of the matter.