Empower HAC, ADCs : ATRPF
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 20 2014 :
The All Tribal Rights Protection Forum has appealed to the State authority as well as the Governor to exercise his responsibility by working together and empower the Hill Areas Committee (HAC) as mandated by the Constitution and the law, and strive towards achieving an effectively empowered Autonomous District Councils s and through the ADCs, the village authorities at the grassroots level.
According to a press release issued by the Forum, Article 371C of the Indian Constitution assigns special responsibilities of looking after the administration of the Hill Areas in the best interest of the hill people upon the Governor of the State.
To this end, the HAC has been delegated (powers) on 13 matters under Second Scheduled Matters of the Manipur Legislative (Hill Areas Committee) Order 1971 which should be diligently exercised by the HAC safeguarding the interests of the hill people.
Moreover, the Constitution, power and functioning of the ADCs in the hill areas are entrusted upon the HAC.
As such, the HAC possesses the responsibility of preparing budget of the ADCs.
However, the Governor of Manipur has miserably failed to safeguard the interest of the hill people.
In spite of repeated appeals and reminders for intervention, successive Governors failed to submit such report of administration of the hill areas to the President of India as mandated by Article 371C (2) of the Indian Constitution.
On the other hand, the power given to the HAC has been transferred by the State Government to the Tribal Affairs and Hills Department of the State thereby rendering the HAC, ADCs and village authorities toothless and defunct.
This has resulted in lopsided development in the State, the forum added.
At the moment, ADC members elected from the Naga inhabited areas are staying put at quarters in Imphal.