Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 14:
The construction work along the Imphal-Saikul road which is being taken up by the Public Works Department on a war-footing since last month has come to a grinding halt following the diktat from an underground organisation for the last 3 days even as an AE of the Minor Irrigation Department has been abducted by unidentified gunmen yesterday.
Addressing a press conference in this connection at Manipur Press Club here this afternoon, representatives of the village authorities, local clubs, women's bodies and Meira Paibis of Khundrakpam and Saikul Assembly Constituencies informed that the matter came to light only after they lodged a complaint with the local MLA.
The local MLA informed that an underground organisation has imposed a ban on construction work of the road, they said.
Maintaining that interference in the construction work of the road which has been lying neglected for the last many years is not in the interest of the people, they also appealed to the UG group concerned to lift the ban.
Chairperson of Saikul Area Women's Union Hoinu said development of the road is for the welfare of the people, so there should be interference from any quarters.
Construction work of the road should resume at once.
In case the UG group concerned does not respect the appeal of the people, then they may be constrained to boycott all the UG groups, the representatives warned.
In the meantime, an AE of the Minor Irrigation Department has been reportedly picked up by armed cadres of a UG group from his own house last night.
The AE is identified as Potsangbam Lalji of Canchipur Heinou Makhong.