KSO decries bid to derail EMRS Jangnomphai project
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 10 2022: Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO), Moltam Block, Kangpokpi district has taken strong exception to the alleged attempt of cancelling allotment of Eklavya Model Residential School (EMRS) at L Jangnomphai village.

In a release issued Sunday, KSO Moltam Block strongly condemned "the numerous attempts" made by Micheal Lamjathang Haokip, secretary general of Thadou Students' Association, Manipur to cancel the allotment of EMRS at L Jangnomphai village (Veitum Khunou) in Kangpokpi district and to relocate the same to Gopibung village.

"In its latest attempt to derail the construction of EMRS at L Jangnomphai village, Micheal Lamjathang under the banner of Thadou Students' Association had written a letter to the Prime Minister of India (March 25, 2022) requesting to immediately cancel the tender process for construction of EMRS at L Jangnomphai village.

The letter to the Prime Minister was full of lies and conceals relevant facts and truth," KSO said.

It then recalled that TSA had earlier raised the same issue to the then Tribal Affairs & Hills minister Vungjagin Valte under the pretext that there cannot be two EMRS in Saitu-Gamphazol Block.

Vungjagin accordingly called a meeting on July 17, 2021 to discuss the issue at Sadar Hill West/Saitu Gamphazol and constituted a committee under additional chief secretary (TA&H) and deputy commissioner (Kangpokpi) to find out the administrative and revenue jurisdiction of L Jangnomphai Village.

The committee submitted the report stating that L Jangnomphai village falls under Kangchup Geljang Tribal Development Block and not under Saitu Gamphazol as alleged by TSA.

In the view of the report and with the approval of the then TA&H minister recommendation was forwarded to the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to consider L Jangnomphai village as the site for construction of EMRS, Sadar Hills West.

The state government followed all due procedures and the guidelines issued by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs, while recommending L Jangnomphai village as the site for the ERMS, the KSO block contended.

The students' body also condemned the "arbitrary" letter (March 26, 2022) issued by minister Nemcha Kipgen to the managing director of MANIDCO Ltd for cancelling the Notice Inviting Tender (NIT) for construction of the EMRS.

The organisation wondered whether the minister had gone through the recommendations of its own government to construct EMRS at L Jangnomphai village.

It then requested Nemcha Kipgen to withdraw her letter and instead help to expedite the construction of EMRS for the poor tribal population of Sadat Hills West.

"Both the Thadou Students' Association and the letter issued by Nemcha Kipgen cited various government orders, guidelines, census and bifurcation of Kangpokpi district in Manipur simply to mislead and misguide the public and the government in order to shift EMRS to Gopibung village, another location of their choice," the Moltam KSO alleged.

It then pointed out that Gopibung village is located only 12.4 km from ERMS Gammon Sapormenia while L Jangnomphai is 68.8 km away from the said ERMS.

Gopibung village js in the periphery of Kangpokpi district headquarters but L Jangnomphai village is more than 80 km away from the district headquarters.

"It is common knowledge of the people in Kangpokpi district that all the educational infrastructures, government offices and commercial activities are concentrated in Kangpokpi, Saitu-Gamphalzol and Saikul.

The Kangchup Geljang Tribal Development Block is one of the least developed areas under Kangpokpi district with minimal educational and health infrastructure.

The establishment of EMRS will surely uplift the tribal population of the area ed ucationally which is one of the main objectives for the establishment of EMRS in tribal areas," the organisation added.

It then requested the state government and the Ministry of Tribal Affairs to expedite the construction of EMRS at L Jangnomphai village and refrain from listening to individuals and organisations trying to mislead or create hurdle in the construction of ERMS at L Jangnomphai village.

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