No rice to Tamenglong stand irks ZYF (AMN)
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 05 2011:
Zeliangrong Youth Front (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland) has said that non allotment of district rice quota to Tamenglong by Consumers Affairs, Food and Public Distribution (CAF& PD) Department on the charge that the district administration has failed to clear a due amount of Rs 17 lakhs out of Rs 25 lakhs which was incurred last year is tantamount to violation of Right to Food and Right to Life of the people of the district.
Not allotting the most essential item and deprived of district rice quota at such a critical juncture and situation on such flimsy gounds by the Government of Manipur is a deliberate act which amounts to imposing economic blockade on the people of the Tamenglong district, ZYF (AMN) alleged.
Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) also strongly warned the CAF&PD Department not to play with the life of the Zeliangrong people.
It added that Zeliangrong people are not surprised with such dealing of the Govt as it has been a regular treatment meted out to the people of Tamenglong district from time to time.
Saying that allotment or non allotment of rice or other items would not obliterate people from the district ZYF (AMN) said that Zeliangrong people would strive to survive in such gravest situations.
Whenever any agitations enforced with restriction of vehicular movements on the National Highways, the Manipur Govt deployed maximum security forces and arranged escorts for truckers to enable ferry goods and commodities from the Jiribam and as such large quantities of commodities and petroleum products are arrived at Imphal for the purpose of equal public distribution.
The people of Tamenglong being the citizen of the country, in the past had highlighted the hardships and problems for drawing the attention of the concerned authority but the plight and sufferings of the people were remained unattended, it added.
The youth body said that denial of even the most basic entitlement of Tamenglong district quota during any agitations is not a new thing.
The people of Tamenglong district are not envied with mobile sale, open sale or any kind of trading carried out by the Manipur Govt at Imphal but the Govt is advised not to lift district rice and other essentials commodities quota if the same is not meant for the purpose of distribution to the genuine and legitimate people of the district, ZYF (AMN) added.
It further said that lifting of such basic essential commodities without the knowledge of the genuine entitled people is a crime.
Therefore, the people of Tamenglong district may seek the help of any appropriate forum including law court to assert right to life and also to protect the democratic citizen rights of the district if the Manipur Govt continues to lift the district quota of essentitals commodities and others even though these are not distributed to the people of the district.
ZYF (AMN) demanded that the district quota which had already been lifted should be distributed to the people immediately.