Imphal, July 03 2009: In view of the recent spurt of protest rallies being held in the hill districts of Manipur against the state Cabinet's decision to deploy IRB and police commandos in the hills, opposition MLA RK Anand, while discussing the Governor's address in the Manipur Legislative Assembly today, asked if the law and order situation in the hills was okay.

Initiating the discussion on the Governor's address delivered on March 17 last in the Assembly, ruling Congress MLAs Dr Kh Loken and E Dwijamani said, the Governor's address is a complete statement that contains the details of every development project the government is taking up.

The address also points out the factual improvement of the financial position of the state that was so bad earlier, the MLAs observed.

It is highly praiseworthy that the address mentions every step taken by the government in trying to solve the drinking water problem, bringing equal development in both hills and plains, efforts to improve the law and order situation, etc., the two MLAs contended.

However, MPP's MLA O Joy said that though there are certain elements of truth in the Governor's address, there are still several other points that need to be incorporated which makes the statement almost imperfect.

MLA Joy said, the Governor's address does not mention a word about the series of extra judicial killings being carried out in the state.

It is not just that the Security Forces or the Manipur police commandos carry out the extra judicial killings but unknown persons also indulge in wanton killings.

He said, a man called Krishnadas from Kakching had been murdered.

Kasom Khullen SDO Dr Kishan and two of his staff were killed by merciless murderers.

A number of non-locals also get killed.

All these incidents make the Manipuris look like coming from the killing field to people in other states.

This can be curbed and solved, O Joy opined and appealed to the Security Forces and unknown armed persons through the House to stop killings.

The veteran opposition MLA further pointed out that there is no mention in the Governor's address to counter the dangers posed by drug abuse.

It does not mention anything about the involvement of drug addicts in various anti social activities.

This has become a serious disease with the armed persons joining hands with the drug addicts which creates a lot of problems in the society.

In order to save from this dangerous trend, he suggested incorporation of setting up of rehabilitaion centres under a concrete government policy.

MLA Joy said, the address mentions a lot about the developmental projects being taken up by the government.

However, the people can't get power which is most needed at this hour.

Though he needed to study books to prepare for participation in the discussions and debates in the House, he could not do so as there was no power, MLA Joy said to the amusement of the House and added, therefore, it is better to remain dozing instead of speaking in the House.

It has been four months of spending of money under the government's vote on account.

But what progress of the various projects had been made during the past four months, the senior Opposition leader asked.

Touching upon the drought like situation in the state due to shortage of rainfall, O Joy said, there is serious ecological imbalance.

We are getting its result.

Manipur has become so hot like an oven but the Forest and Environment Minister is sitting coolly.

He expressed his desire for adding a policy in the address to save the environment.

Expressing his reservation on the claim made in the Governor's address of having the law and order situation been improved much, MPP MLA RK Anand said, people of Manipur believe that the law and order is worsening.

The number of insurgents is rising creating a lot of problems.

The Security Forces set up under the law appear to be doing illegal things.

The government must pay attention to these, he said.

MLA Anand pointed out that India is one of the nations in the world that remain committed to protecting human rights.

However, they seem not to be abiding the rule of law which is very unfortunate.

In almost all alleged encounters, there are complaints that it was arrest-and-kill incident.

The house needs to correct this trend, theMLA said.

He criticised the way National Security Act (NSA) is being applied to arrested youths as a policy of curbing insurgency in Manipur.

The address mentions the number of NSA detainees but it does not mention how many NSA cases had been cancelled by the NSA board.

Unless the loopholes in applying NSA on the detainees in a slipshod manner is stopped, people will lose their trust in the legislators, Anand pointed out.

He also said, the state administration should be applied equally over the hills and the plains.

Why don't some section want deployment of IRB and police commandos in the hill districts? Is law and order hunky dory in the hills? Where was Dr Kishan killed? Has looting and extortion by the militants on the National Highways stopped? It is not right and logical that certain section should object to deployment of IRB and commandos in the hills, he said.

Expressing his desire to alter and add points on the Governor's Address, Khurai AC MLA, Dr Ng Bijoy pointed out that HT line connection for Power Sector Revenue, bridges under construction, non-completion of Manipur Bhavan in Guwahati, lack of drinking water supply, and several important points in the Health Sector have been missed.

He therefore expressed the need to address the defects while undertaking developmental works.

Oinam AC MLA, Dr I Ibohalbi also pointed out that the government has troubled the officials of Loktak Development Authority in their works.

Dr Ibohalbi said that the officials were accused of mingling and in connivance with the militants when they go inspecting the floating biomass on the Loktak Lake.

He further pointed out that the government's decision to raise Loktak Protection Forces has been missing in the Governor's Address.

He also observed that the death toll of innocents and security personnel killed has not been mentioned in the Governor's Address.

The number of charge-sheets relating to arrest made by the police, and the works taken up by jailors, are also not mentioned in the Address.

Asking whether the condition of the Power supply in the state will remain the same till 2011, he pointed out that unpaid electricity bills were also not included in the Governor's Address.

He also stressed on the need to amend the state's Adarsh policy.

Thangmeiband AC MLA, Radhabinod Koijam said it is very unfortunate that the leader of the House fails to mention the various policies in the Governor's Address.

He also urged to make the Tribal Development department functional to all tribal residing in the valley too.

Radhabinod Koijam pointed out that the various mismanagements of the TD department are also not mentioned in the Governor's Address.

He further drew the attention of the House while saying that the Governor's Address seems to be written without doing the needful exercise.

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