ATSUM reiterates demand for hill districts
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 02 2013 :
The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has reiterated its demands for early action on various inadequacies being faced in five hill districts of the State.
A memorandum to this effect was submitted by the student body to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi today.
In a press conference held at its administrative office at Nagaram this evening, general secretary Vareiyo Shatshang said, although, various Ministers including the Chief Minister had promised to fulfil the demands of ATSUM in the past meetings, no action has been taken up yet.
He added that the student body had even clamped general strike and economic blockade under the code name 'ROTO' in pursuit of their charter of demands.
The general secretary said that demands of ATSUM include filling up of vacant teachers' post, regularisation of 'contract' teachers, completion of college and school buildings which are supposed to be constructed under Central sponsored schemes in time and setting up of BEd institutes in hill districts.
ATSUM is also demanding deputing adequate number of doctors and nurses and installation of modern equipment in PHCs, CHCs and DHCs of hill districts, he added.
Filling up of vacant ST posts in various Government Departments and JNIMS and expediting development of Tribal University campus at Makhan are also included in their charter of demands, he added.
Saying that the union does not want to give hardships to the public by clamping economic blockade and bandh, the general secretary however added that the Government does not heed their appeals until extreme steps are initiated.