Revive Tombisana HS call issued
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 23 2023:
The Tombisana High School in the heart of Imphal should be revived and it should remain a school, said the school's managing committee today.
The committee's voice came amid construction of a market on the school plot.
The Tombisana High School is historic and is one of the oldest schools in the State.
The committee will never allow the Government to build a market in its place, said Dr TM Rajen.
Dr TM Rajen is president of the Tombisana High School Managing Committee.
At Manipur Press Club, Imphal he asserted that the construction of the market in the land of the school is against the wishes of the people and is like erasing history.
"The then Congress Government had stationed security forces at the school and now, a market is being developed in the land of the school which is against the wishes of the people.
The committee vehemently opposes this move and will never allow the school to be converted into a market," he said.
Rajen added that the Tombisana High School is a part of the history of Manipur and it may even be protected under the Historical Monument Act.
The school must remain a school, he said.
The committee's secretary Ph Ibochouba Sharma said the Tombisana High School was established during the days of kingship in Manipur.
It was established during 1932-33 and is an asset of the people which should be revived and improved.
Tombisana School was built by a daughter of the then king using her own money and entrusting the development to the committee.
Then an aided school, it was absorbed by the Government in 1977-78 .
In 2008, it was then amalgamated with other schools and a decision was taken to move it to Thangmeiband.
The then Congress Government in 2014 then stationed security forces in the school by 'force'.
Afterwards, the school became a center-stage for alleged extrajudicial killings and skeletons of humans were also found during excavation in the school complex, he said.
Against the Government dismantling the school, the committee members and kin of deceased members had then filed a case in the High Court.
The case is still on since then, he added.
Ph Ibochouba Sharma continued that the committee is in possession of the patta (land deed) of the school and is still paying taxes.
Imphal city has many schools including Johnstone Higher Secondary School, Bhairodan Maxwell Hindi Primary School, Guru Nanak Public School, Shri Digambar Jain Higher Secondary School, Nirmalabas High School etc.
Like them, Tombisana High School should be revived and allowed to remain a school, he said, appealing for help and assistance from the public in saving the school.