One day after bomb blast, booby trap...
15 member Delhi team land at Imphal
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 25: Just one day after a powerful bomb fitted to a scooter exploded and ripped through the compound wall of an MLA inside the high security zone Babupara and a booby trap was detected on the route which the Governor was supposed to take, a 15 member team from Delhi led by the Union Cabinet Secretary arrived at Imphal today to take stock of the law and order situation as well as discuss developmental projects being taken up in the State.

The Delhi team received by Jairnail Singh at Tulihal airport

The team led by Cabinet Secretary M Chandrasekhar landed at Tulihal airport today at about 4.25 pm from a special aircraft of the Indian Air Force and they were received by Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh, DGP Y Joykumar and a host of other State officials.

On the other hand, the State Government has taken a serious view over the absence of an MCS officer who was not found present at his place of assignment in connection with the arrival of the team from Delhi.

Straight on their arrival the team called on Governor Dr SS Sidhu at the Raj Bhawan at 4.30 pm and later met the Chief Minister in his office chamber at 5.30 pm.

Though details of the itinerary of the team are not available, a reliable source said that a cultural programme was staged for the visiting team at the Raj Bhawan at 7 pm today.

A meeting with State officials will be held tomorrow from 9 am till 1 pm at the South Block of the Old Secretariat, said the source and added that the meeting will concentrate on the law and order situation as well as the progress of the ongoing developmental projects and schemes.

With the Centre taking a grim note of the law and order situation in the State against the backdrop of the recent massacre of migrant workers by unidentified gunmen, the bomb attack at the Assembly and the recent bomb blast at Babupara and the booby trap placed on the Governor's route, the visiting team will focus on the law and order situation as well as the measures taken up by the State Government.

The meeting will also deliberate on the ongoing developmental projects taken up in the State, said the source and added that the Jiri-Tupul rail line will feature in the discussion.

The development of NH-39 to a four lane as well as the progress made towards this will be discussed minutely.

Other developmental projects to be discussed will relate to schemes taken up to provide irrigation facilities to different parts of the State.

The Central team will also study the proposal of the State Govt to increase the capacity of storing petroleum products as well as opening FCI godowns in the hill districts.

The other members of the team include Secretary (Co-ordination) in the Cabinet Secretariat Dr Renuka Choudhury, Defence Secretary Ajay Singh, Rural Development Secretary Dr FA Sharma, Planning Commission Advisor Dr Sinha, Home Secretary L Gupta, Secretary DONER Ms Vena S rao, Director of IB PC Haidar, Petroleum Joint Secretary AK Jain, Rakesh Garg of Food and Public Distribution, G Sharan DG of Road Development, AK Goyal Director (NE), P Kallyanasundaram and the GM of Northern Railways.