Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 12 2010:
Nobody had tried to snatch away rice meant for providing relief to the flood affected people in Imphal east district, said general secretary of Wangkhei Kendra Development Committee, Boyes Kom today reacting to the report of stopping three truck loads rice transported from CAF&PD godown yesterday.
Addressing a press conference held at the house of O Henry, the man who has been alleged of blocking the transportation of rice yesterday evening, the general secretary clarified that it was not an instance of trying to take away the rice but only to intervene to see that distribution of the relief material to the affected people is done in a fair manner.
They had blocked the rice issued to the DC Imphal east from being depositing at the residence of CAF&PD minister, Y Erabot.
Social worker, O Henry was not involved in the incident at first.
He only came after he got the information of people blocking the vehicles, he clarified.
It was not Henry who attempted to hijack the rice at Soibam Leikai Khanglabung but it was minister Y Erabot, he said hitting back to the charges levelled by the minister against Henry.
He (Henry) only intervened to translate government order into work.
Government order mentioned that the relief is to be distributed to the affected people by the district authority through SDOs or their subordinate officers, he said.
Okram Henry also later made a clarification from his side regarding the charges levelled against him and said that he came to know of the incident only after he was informed by the local people.
Police and minister had already arrived at the place when he reached the spot.
He intervened only based on people's complaints and made efforts to distribute the rice to the people in a fair manner.
His intervention has nothing to do with political activities and Chief Minister, O Ibobi.
He is working for the welfare of the people as a social worker, he maintained.