AMTU appeals
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 01 2019:
The All Manipur Tribal Union (AMTU) has sought intervention of the Central Government against the alleged plan to shift Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) from Khambathel (Western Valley area), Chandel block to another location.
A memorandum submitted by AMTU to Union Minister of Tribal Affairs Jual Oram claimed that the Ministry of Tribal Affairs had approved Rs 100 lakh for setting up one EMRS at Chandel Block and the Administrative Department (Government of Manipur) had already decided for establishment of EMRS near Khambathel village Western Valley Area, Chandel district.
However, it has been found that the location for establishment of the said EMRS has been manipulatively and arbitrarily shifted to Mantri Pantha village, Chandel district without any consultation with civil society and without official survey, it said.
Mantri Pantha village is situated within Chandel district headquarters and there is adequate number of educational institutions and infrastructure but there is not a single Government or private educational institution in the Western Valley area of Chandel.
Even though the village chiefs of the Western Valley Area are much willing to donate land for the purpose of establishment of the EMRS, the Chandel DC submitted a wrong report that there no land is available for construction of the school at Khambathel village, it alleged.
It then urged the Union Minister of Tribal Affairs to issue stringent instruction to the Government of Manipur to establish the said EMRS at Western Valley areas, Chandel instead of Mantri Pantha village in the interest of justice.