Internally Displaced Persons start moving to temporary homes
It's a battle between truth and falsehood : Biren
Source: The Sangai Express / DIPR

Imphal, August 23 2023: Chief Minister N Biren has stated that the violent crisis besieging Manipur at present will demonstrate before the whole world who wins in a battle between truth and falsehood.

People displaced from their homes and whose houses have been burnt in the course of the violent crisis started moving to prefabricated temporary shelter homes built by the Government.

The Chief Minister inaugurated and handed over temporary shelter homes to displaced families at a function held at Sajiwa Jail Complex, Imphal East today.

The shelter homes were constructed under the Scheme for Providing Temporary Shelter to Displaced Families for 3000 shelter units.

Internally Displaced Persons start moving to temporary homes

After the Chief Minister inaugurated 300 temporary shelter units, IDPs who were taking shelter at different relief camps in Imphal East district started moving into the temporary homes.

Majority of the IDPs who moved into the temporary homes today are residents of Ikou and Leitanpokpi, Imphal East.

Speaking at the occasion, N Biren claimed that the State Government has been working hard to alleviate the suffering of IDPs.

The Council of Ministers and the ruling MLAs have been monitoring the situation and exploring all avenues to restore peace and normalcy by holding meetings at least twice a week, he said.

The violence erupted without any valid reason.

The Government had not given any response to the High Court's order but some elements deliberately engineered the violence, Biren said.

"Even though the violence was ignited inten- tionally, there is God and I believe in God.

God will definitely punish those elements who ignited the violence intentionally.

God will never forgive those people who are responsible for the murder of many people in the most savage manner, rendering thousands of people homeless by burning down their houses and creating a wall of hatred among the people who otherwise were living peacefully and harmoniously", Biren said.

"The truth will definitely triumph", he added.

Saying that he is still unable to unravel the causes of the violent crisis, Biren said that the State Government has been working hard to resettle the IDPs at their original places.

Biren informed that the temporary shelter homes are being constructed at a total cost of around Rs 149 crore, of which an amount of Rs 101 crore had already been disbursed from the Prime Minister's Office through the Union Home Minister.

Informing that 320 prefabricated houses are being constructed at Kwakta, 200 at Sawombung and 400 at Yaithibi Loukon, Kakching to rehabilitate displaced people temporarily, he said that permanent houses would also be constructed at their original places in the meantime and a survey has been started for the same.

The Chief Minister said that around 700 prefabricated houses would be constructed in Kangpokpi and another 800 in Churachandpur.

The Chief Minister mentioned that displaced families would be given priority under the One Family One Livelihood scheme of the Government and added that certain teams of Government officials have been constituted for the same.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is now closely monitoring the situation in Churachandpur, Moreh, Kangpokpi and Imphal virtually, Biren said.

"The Government is exploring a political solution to the current crisis and we are confident we can work out a solution.

At the same time, the exercise of identifying illegal immigrants and collection of their biometric data will go on without any interruption", the Chief Minister said.

The crisis has awakened all the indigenous people to the reality.

Manipur can never be fragmented under any circumstances, he asserted.

Exuding confidence that normalcy would be restored soon, he said that this would be possible because of the collective efforts of women organisations, CSOs, Church leaders and the general public.

Responding to a query raised by media persons, Biren said construction of prefabricated houses would be completed in the valley within the next 15-20 days.

Such houses which would be constructed in Kangpokpi and Churachandpur would also be completed as soon as possible, he added.

The programme was also attended by Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister Th Biswajit, MAHUD Minister Yumnam Khemchand, Health Minister Dr Sapam Ranjan, Social Welfare Minister Heikham Dingo, Transport Minister Khasim Vashum, MLAs Thounaojam Shyamkumar, Thongam Shanti, Dr Usham Deben, Thangjam Arun-kumar, Kh Ibomcha, Sapam Kunja-keswor and senior Government officials, among others.