KSO, NSUC line up stir
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, February 24 2013 :
Pushing their demand for removal of the incumbent Executive Engineer of DRDA, Chandel; Kuki Students' Organisation, Chandel (KSO-Chandel) and Naga Students' Union, Chandel (NSUC) have threatened to impose a 48-hour general strike from March 1 if the demand is not met by February 27 .
The two tribal student bodies further warned that the 48-hour general strike would be followed by indefinite economic blockade along National Highway-2 from March 3 midnight if the Government continues to ignore the demand for removal of L Sharatchandra, Executive Engineer of DRDA, Chandel, whom they accused of being a corrupt and aggressive official.
However, certain relaxation would be put in place for vehicles transporting students who would appear in the ensuing HSLC exam.
Religious and medical related activities would also be exempted from the purview of the agitation.
Addressing a press conference at Molnoi Community Hall in Tengnoupal, Chandel district on Saturday, President of KSO Chandel Thangjalet Mate categorically stated that Government of Manipur should transfer EE Sharatchandra by February 27 or else the KSO, Chandel and NSUC will jointly impose a 48-hour bandh in the district starting March 1 and another parallel strike in the form of economic blockade along the Imphal-Moreh road if the Government remains as a silent spectator to the demand.
It may be noted here that the two student bodies had on February 22 submitted a joint representation to the Chief Minister urging him to take necessary steps for transferring EE Sharatchandra and send a competent officer to replace him.
The student bodies pointed out that the EE hardly attend his office.
The student bodies also alleged that EE Sharatchandra deducts 10 percent to 15 percent from every Central Government sponsored scheme in the district, and uses abusive words at the beneficiaries who went to enquire about progress of files.
Expressing concern over the huge number of substitute teachers in Government schools of Chandel district, Mate asked all the Government teachers to report to their respective educational institutions immediately.
He also announced that a drive against standby teachers would be launched from first week of March.
As per a 2012 survey, more than 80 percent of teachers in the Government schools in the hill district turned out to be substitutes, Mate added.