ZSUM, AISU back ATSUM stir
Source: Hueiyen News Service / NNN
Imphal, November 16, 2013 :
Even as the railway line construction continues to be affected due to the banning of the national projects by the Muan Tombing led All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) since November 11 midnight, Zeliangrong Students Union, Manipur (ZSUM) and All Inpui Students Union (AISU) today announced their full support to the agitation of the tribal student body.
All Tribal Students Union, Manipur (ATSUM) under the 'leadership' of its president Muan Tombing is in its second phase agitation under the code name 'Reckoning of the Other' (ROTO) has banned all the National projects in Manipur including the ongoing railway line construction in Tamenglong district since the midnight of November 11 .
ATSUM's demands included better condition of educational atmosphere in the hill districts by appointing or recruiting adequate teaching and non-teaching staff and taking care of necessary infrastructure.
In this regard, ATSUM also demanded setting up of B.Ed centres in the hill districts.
Furthermore, the tribal student body demanded early solution of the crises related to Indira Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) in the State.
Other demands of ATSUM included improvement of healthcare system in the hill districts by making all the PHSCs, PHCs, CHCs and DHCs functional through posting of required specialists doctors and nurses and provided proper equipments, establishment of a separate State Commission for Scheduled Tribe (ST) in Manipur, adherence to ST reservation norms as per the latest roster, equitable development through special economic package for the hill areas of Manipur, effective governance of the hill areas, ensuring proper functioning of the Hill Area Committee (HAC), to bring the present Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) in Manipur at par with other ADCs in the North-Eastern states of India, re-organisation (Delimitation) of assembly seats on the basis of the latest population census and sharing 30/30 seats between the hills and the valley and protection of tribal rights on land and natural resources.