Govt's move to resume issuing ILPS opposed
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 23 2020: The Ethno Heritage Council (HERICOUN) has strongly objected the State Government's announcement to resume issuing of Inner Line Permit Syste, to allow non-locals to enter the State.

HERICOUN, in a statement, said on March 18 the State Government had announced to stop issuing ILP disallowing entry of non-locals in the State to prevent spread of coronavirus.

However, to their utter surprise, many non-locals were found entering the State secretly and some were even found at quarantine centres, it claimed.

"We also strongly believed that there might be many more who have entered the State and mixed with the population without even going through the quarantine centres," it further said.

When people are already disappointed after finding non-locals entering the State even when the issuance of ILP has been stopped, again on July 20, Special Secretary Home had announced that the issuance of ILP will resume it said.

"Now people are finding it hard to understand the meaning of this move," it said.

"We have also heard the Chief Secretary saying labourers from outside need to be brought in for works related to Railways, PHED and other infrastructure development.

And in order to do so resumption of ILP is required," it said.

But on the other hand the Chief Minister had also announced "we must save our lives first and the rest will follow," it said.

HERICOUN said considering the present scenario it is unwise to bring uneducated labourers from red zone declared States.

"We demand the Government to retreat from this move immediately" .

Only the local people and some important officials should be allowed to enter the State for the time being, it said.

It may also be mentioned here that many locals here have lost their jobs due to the pandemic and the opportunity should be first given to them instead of bringing in outsiders, it said.

It also does not make sense to bring in non-local labourers when drastic moves like shutdown, curfew, closing of schools and colleges, closing of markets, limiting the number attendees at religious functions are being enforced to prevent the spread of the virus, it added.

Comment