ATDSU's Hill bandh lifted
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network

Imphal, September 10 2013: The ongoing 72-hour Manipur hill districts bandh imposed by All Tribal Disabled Students' Union (ATDSU) has been suspended today.

"The bandh which began since Monday was suspended following numerous appeals from various quarters," said ATDSU president Momo Tangtago.

According to Momo, ATDSU has decided to suspend the ongoing bandh considering the hardship faced by the people.

"However, we will resort to other forms of democratic agitation if our demands are not met," warned Momo.

Momo then expressed his gratitude on behalf of the ATDSU to the public for their co-operation in the last two days.

Anguished over Manipur Government's negative response to its demands, All Tribal Disabled Students' Union (ATDSU) called the 72-hour bandh in the hill districts of Manipur from September 8 midnight as the August 30 dateline set by the union to the Government ended.

Supporters of ATDSU enforcing bandh at Chandel before it was lifted

ATDSU said the Government is not responding to the union's legitimate demands that prompted it to take up the agitation.

Due to lack of education, the tribal disabled people are unable to claim their rightful job quota in the Government establishments and these post vacancies have remained filled up by general candidates, it accused.

ADTSU had also on July 19 last sought an appointment from Social Welfare minister for discussion on its demands, but no positive response has been given till date, it said.

It has urged the state Social Welfare minister to realize the decentralization of the authority for issue of disability certificates and to set up a special school with hostel facility for tribal disabled students in one of the hill districts in the state, the union added.

It said that physically challenged persons are first examined and treated at Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences (JNIMS) Imphal and then related medical documents are submitted to the office of the Social Welfare which issues disability certificates to them after taking about four months time in the process.

This procedure adopted by the state Government has denied disability certificates to more than 70 percent disabled persons residing in far flung areas of the hill districts, it alleged.

At the same time, the union has demanded for setting up of a special school with hostel facility for the tribal disabled children and students in one of the hill districts of the state, it added.

It further said that there are a number of tribal disabled children in the hill areas intending to go to school, but they have failed to do so since they have certain problems of physical inactivities and the society at the same time discourages them to get education.

There is only one school in the state located at Takyelpat in Imphal West district, especially for the blind, deaf and mute persons, but still there is not a single school for Locomotor Disabilities (LD) and mentally retarded persons.

It added, therefore, it is quite necessary to set up a school for LD and mentally retarded persons in the state so that they can get proper education.