Jail term tor renaming places under new Bill
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, February 09 2024: The 5th session of the 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly is all set to commence from February 28 .

The Assembly session will see tabling of the Manipur Names of Places Bill, 2024 so as to process legal actions against those groups and individuals involved in changing names of places and renaming them according to their wishes.

The decision to this effect was arrived at during a state cabinet meeting chaired by chief minister N Biren at his secretariat cabinet hall on Friday.

The cabinet meeting figured 11 agendas which were discussed and approved unanimously.

Addressing media persons at his Lamphelpat Sanakeithel residence, Friday, IPR minister Dr Sapam Ranjan informed that the cabinet meeting has decided to hold the 5th session of thel2th Manipur Legislative Assembly from February 28.Since it is the first assembly session of 2024, the Governor's address will be delivered and discussed at the session.

The speech of the Governor for the first session was also discussed during the cabinet meeting.

The number of sitting of the assembly session will be discussed during the Business Advisory Committee meeting which will be attended by the Speaker.

The Manipur Names of Places Bill, 2024 will be tabled in the House to prevent any individual or groups from arbitrarily renaming existing places, and to initiate legal actions against them, he said.

Informing that there are reports of some individuals and groups/organisa-tions resorting to changing of existing names of places and naming it according to their will, the minister said that such acts have to a large extent created problems in the state's administrative process.

Therefore, a committee will be constituted under the proposed Act and recommend names of places according to the approval of the government.

If a persons is found changing names of places without authorisation, it will be deemed a punishable offence and the convict shall be jailed at least 1 to 3 years.

The Land Resources Department will be the nodal department to implement the said Act.

It may be mentioned that some Kuki groups and organisations have named Churachandpur as Lamka.

Many of the government establishments in the district have also renamed as Lamka.

Recently, the sacred Thangjing Hill was also renamed Mount Olive by the Kukis and signboards put up accordingly, besides erecting a cross.

Maintaining that the cabinet acknowledged the role of the state forces and commandos in preventing deterioration of the current situation, the government decided to provide monthly compensatory allowance of Rs 5000 to Manipur police commandos and Rs 3000 to those serving in the difficult and vulnerable areas of the state.

Regarding the death of Moreh SDPO Ch Anandkumar, who was killed by armed Kuki militants, the minister said that the cabinet approved appointment of his son as Assistant Sub-Inspector and pay liberalised pension from the Home Department to the deceased officer.

Recognising the role of the VDFs in the state, the cabinet also agreed to extend the engagement for one more year of service i.e.from April 1, 2024 to March 31, 2025, he said while also adding that the cabinet passed Manipur State Commission for Women's Rule 2024.It was also decided that according to Manipur Municipalities Act, Health Officer, Engineer or Revenue Officer of any panchayat is to be appointed by government only.

The minister further said the state cabinet has approved to sanction Rs 18.91 crore for 3483 farmers who have been affected by the ongoing crisis in the state and has not been able to carry Out their agricultural activities.

For those farmers carrying out agricultural activities on lease system, they will get 80 percent of the compensation amount while the land owner will receive the remaining 20 percent.

The government is also planning to provide the second phase of the compensation.

Giving emphasis on the education sector, the state cabinet has also approved to appoint 742 staff (teachers) of different categories on contractual basis through SSA.

Meanwhile, chief minister N Biren announced on X: "The state cabinet approved to increase the allowances for our brave Manipur police commando and other state forces in vulnerable areas".

On Thursday, CM Biren had chaired a meeting to discuss measures and renewed strategies to combat illegal poppy cultivation in the state.

The meeting saw the attendance of the chief secretary, top officials from the state police department, NCB, NAB, forest department, MARSAC, and forensic science.

The chief minister emphasised the state government's unwavering commitment to completely eradicate the drug menace and poppy plantation.

Continuing the war on drugs campaign, a combined team of Ukhrul police, NAB, and Ukhrul forest department, along with the 6th Manipur Rifles, successfully destroyed around 20 acres of poppy plantation at Mullam and Shongphel hill ranges under Litan police station, Ukhrul district.

In a statement issued by the Chief Minister's Secretariat, the Chief Minister said that the government has not stopped its work of destroying poppy plantations, since the start of the campaign.

On the Government's War on Drugs Campaign, areas of poppy plantations had decreased a lot.

Identification of areas with poppy cultivation had been done through satellite mapping, he said, adding that combined teams of Narcotics and Affairs of Border, Narcotics Control Bureau, State forces, and Forest Department would destroy the poppy plantations by the end of this month.

During the meeting, images of the poppy cultivation were handed over to the superintendents of police of Kangpokpi, Churachandpur, Senapati and Ukhrul districts and they were asked to destroy the plantations by the end of this month with assistance from other agencies.

"Poppy harvesting season is on...hence efforts are being made to destroy the poppy plantations before harvesting," Biren said.

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