HC chief justice vows to help IDPs
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 24 2024: Affirming that the central and state governments will be informed about the inconveniences and challenges besetting the internally displaced people (IDPs) taking shelter in various relief camps across the state, Manipur High Court chief justice Siddharth Mridul has pledged to extend all possible assistance to the IDPs.

Chief Justice Siddharth Mridul made the statement during a visit to relief camps opened at Meitei Langol Leima Khullen Leikai and Ideal Girls' College, Akampat.

During the visit led by the chief justice, the team distributed essential commodities to residents of the relief camps in addition to taking note of their grievances.

The residents white highlighting their grievances to the chief justice, mentioned that they have been residing in the relief camps for nearly a year and are enduring hardships ever since.

They also appealed to the relevant authorities to take steps to facilitate return to their respective homes by implementing measures to restore peace in the state.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines, chief justice Siddharth Mridul acknowledged that around 60,000 people in the state have been internally displaced and rendered homeless following the conflict which erupted on May 3 last year.

The state government has been catering to the needs of the displaced people by providing them with the necessary items.

The High Court of Manipur is acting as a liaison between the internally displaced people and the government to address their issues, including legal matters, and is assisting the government with available resources, he said, expressing optimism that a resolution to the ongoing crisis will arrive soon.

Stating that resolving the crisis is prerogative of the administrative and executive, and not under the ambit of the judiciary, he stressed that peace talks, alongside efforts to improve law and order, should constitute the political process.

The court is issuing directives to minimize all forms of violence to the greatest extent possible.

Additionally, para-legal volunteers are aiding the court in ensuring that internally displaced individuals can exercise their rights, he said.

So far the team has visited a total of 20 relief camps, providing essential items to the residents white addressing their concerns, Siddharth Mridul said while adding that similar initiatives will continue.

The visit also had High Court of Manipur Justices A Bimol and A Guneshwar Sharma along with MASLSA member secretary Alek Muivah and other officials.

Comment