Post-blast meet demands shifting of District Council office
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 02 2011: A sit-in-protest cum public meeting held today in denunciation of the IED blast at Sangakpham area yesterday has adopted a number of resolution including shifting away of the District Council Office and the IOC Oil depot from its present location.

The protest demonstration cum meeting against the blast that claimed the lives of five persons and injured many others was attended by the Wangkhei Assembly constituency MLA Y Erabot, students of educational institutions in and around Sangakpham, and representatives of various NGOs.

apart from constituting an 19-member JAC against the Sangakpham Bomb Blast, the meeting organised by Laipham Khunou Youth Development Association and North Eastern Re-organisation Cultural Association (NEROCA) decided to apprise the Government of Manipur for shifting of the District Council Office where elected members of various Autonomous District Councils are residing.

It also resolved to prevail upon the Government for increasing ex-gratia amount to Rs 5 lakh for those killed in the blast and Rs 2 lakh to the injured persons; alternative parking zone of oil tankers till relocation of the IOC Oil Depot; detailed scanning of residents staying at rented quarters; construction of a traffic ring/island; and tracking down those involved in triggering the blast.

School students on dharna against the bomb blast

Addressing the meeting, Commerce and Industries Minister Y Erabot expressed strong resentment that innocent citizens were slain in blasts that took place within Wangkhei assembly constituency in recent times.

Describing the act as a heinous crime and suggesting that effective security measures be taken up, he also conveyed that in the aftermath of a similar blast in Telipati area checking of vehicles are being maintained round the clock.

Erabot, nevertheless accused security personnel of focusing on vehicle documents and harassing motorists under the guise of checking vehicles rather than thorough scanning of vehicles to prevent explosive materials being transported or fitted in vehicles.

Continuing his tirade against the State security force personnel, he alleged involvement of police commandos of disrupting development works initiated by him besides conceding that presence of some rogue elements in the police establishment is an important factor for lack of cooperation to the security forces by the general public.

Apparently assuming that the District Council office was the target of powerful IED blast that rocked Sangakpham area yesterday, Erabot also called upon the locals to sustain their demand for shifting of the office as the institution has become a threat to safety of the residents, especially the student community for there are many educational institutions in and around Sangakpham.

While AMSU general secretary N Depanjit condemned the blast and urged all concerned to refrain from such inhumane activities in the future, HERICOUN president Rehang Chothe questioned wisdom of ADC offices confined to the State capital contrary to such institutions meant for development of the hill areas.

Besides members of locals bodies and people of different communities taking part in the day-long protest, functionaries of AMUCO, UCM, AMCO, UYC, TIPS, MSF, ICHAM etc also addressed the gathering.