Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 21 2010:
Employees as well as patients/inmates of various community care centres of Leprosy Welfare Society (LEWS) staged sit-in-demonstration in denunciation of monetary demand slapped by an armed outfit.
speaking to newspersons on the sideline of the protest held today at Shangakpham Bazar, LEWS secretary Aheibam Tolen disclosed that a telephone call was received earlier this month with the caller demanding that Rs 5 lakh be handed over to the KCP-MC (Lanheiba group) within March 20 .
In connection with the monetary demand, a message (SMS) was sent yesterday by one self styled Finance chief Naoba ordering cessation of all LEWS activities for failing to comply with the KCP group's demand, the secretary maintained while confiding that apart from the Society facing fund crunch and lack of manpower monthly salaries are seldom paid in time.
The protestors on their part appealed to the outfit to withdraw the monetary demand for the Society had been working for the deprived section of the population.
It is said that Community Care Centre for HIV/AIDS and Children Home are functioning under the aegis of LEWS.
Further in recognition of Tolen's humanitarian service Women and Child Development Centre, New Delhi had awarded the secretary.