Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 11 2010:
The Committee on Protection of Tribal Areas, Manipur (COPTAM) has accused the census officials working in tribal areas of Manipur of manipulating census information submitted earlier by the respective census enumerators.
A press release issued by COPTAM alleged that thousands of structures in tribal areas as well as the tribal themselves have been unscrupulously removed from the census record simply to meet the SPF Government's desired ST population growth rate.
The census officials who refused to follow the instruction to reduce the tribal growth rate are being threatened or exerted political pressure to either follow the instruction or sacrifice their service, it alleged.
Moreover, the Government attempted to convert Moreh village into municipality/urban area against the wish of the people.
The town may be a 'census town' but it cannot be a 'statutory town' because 80 per cent of the people in the area are indigenous tribals who own and manage the land according to their customs for ages.
Pointing out that Moreh has three ADC constituencies in the recent ADC elections, COPTAM questioned as to how and under what circumstances, Moreh can have two separate administrative identities ��ADC and Municipality .
The COPTAM endorsed and shall go in line with the demand of Hill Tribal Council, Moreh in this regard.
On the other hand, the much hyped devolution/delegation of powers and functions in accordance with the provisions of the controversial Third Amendment Act 2008 is still left in the lurch.
Left with no other choice than resorting to different modes of agitation, COPTAM was compelled to resume indefinite boycott/bandh of all Government programmes, offices and vehicles in hill districts of Manipur since October 1 until tangible action is initiated by the authority to address the grievances, it added.