ATSUM calls off economic blockade on highways
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, March 26 2011: All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has today called off the ongoing 5-day economic blockade following fervent appeal from the state and a meeting with the chief minister to hammer out an agreement with the tribal body.

The meeting has however failed to resolve the bone of contention between the two parties with the possibility of another such meeting in the near future.

The decision to enforce 5-day economic blockade was taken on March 14 in a meeting of presidential council of ATSUM that stipulated that a 5-day economic blockade will be imposed on all national and state highways of the State from midnight March 23 till midnight March 28 next which is extendable indefinitely if the demands of the Union are not met by this time.

A ten-member delegation has met the chief minister today at the invitation of the latter to explore a possible settlement to the long drawn grievances of the tribal population, informed Thomas Taishya, president ATSUM.

He lamented that the two-hour long meeting could not yield the desired outcome as was anticipated by the delegation.

"Despite the assurances given by the government to the visiting delegation on the demands raised by it, the result is still awaited" .

On the demand for the reprocessing of hundred point roster systems, the government has quoted legal complication, he said, while on the issue of executive director of DRDA the government attempts to buy time while insisting on running its directive for a period of 5 months on a trial basis.

The delegation also demanded for the immediate cancellation of the appointment of senior Manipur Civil Services (MCS) to the post of DRDA executive, but the decision remained inconclusive, he said.

The recruitment of SOs in MSSRDA on contract basis would remain un-extendable after the lapse of the first one year from the date of appointment; the delegation has been assured by the government.

ATSUM has also been assured by the government that the extension of the services of contract basis teachers in the hill districts would be considered on need basis after thorough investigation of the need based schools in the hill districts.

While it has also been agreed to by the government that the recruitment of two house committee officers in Manipur legislative assembly would be done at the earliest possible opportunity, the regularization process of junior engineer in MPHC would be reviewed to incorporate tribal candidates, said Thomas Taishya.

"The visiting delegation took serious heed of the fervent appeal of the government to call off its agitation in order that positive mood will prevail for the resolution of the pending issues" he said.

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