Villages seek separation from Thoubal
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 01 2012:
In the backdrop of the persistent issues resulting from over-lapping of two or more districts in villages located in the inter-district boundaries, S Thingkangphai and K Phailen villages have demanded separation from Thoubal district.
Though these two villages are within the boundary of Chandel district, people of the two villages have been enjoying dual voting rights for the last 20 years as they are encompassed within Serou Gram Panchayat of Thoubal district.
For the Panchayat election scheduled to be held on September, the seat of Pradhan for Serou Gram Panchayat has been reserved for Scheduled Tribe.
Though the seat for Pradhan has been reserved for ST, chiefs of the two villages have appealed to the authority concerned to separate the two villages from Thoubal district as well as Serou Gram Panchayat and let them stay within Chandel district without any ambiguity or controversy.
Speaking to media persons at K Phailen village this morning, chief of S Thingkangphai village Ng Francis Baite asked to let the hill villages remain within hill districts just as plain villages remain within valley districts.
K Phailen village chief Lunkhomang Touthang said that both S Thingkangphai and K Phailen are under Chandel district for the last 50 years.
But no one has any clear idea when and how the two villages were brought under Serou Gram Panchayat of Thoubal district while the two villages are still under Chandel district.
Even though the seat of Serou GP Pradhan has been reserved as ST quota, no ST candidate would contest for the seat.
Sating that they do want the dual voting right, Lunkhomang Touthang declared de facto merger of the two villages in Chandel district with effect from today.
In case the Government refuses to accept the two villages as parts of Chandel district and does not initiate necessary formal procedure, people of the two villages would be compelled to launch all types of agitation, said Lunkhomang.