Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 06:
Many social leaders of Senapati district have termed the NPO's serving quit notice to Deputy Commissioner of Senapati district Nidhi Kesarwani by June 7 as a false step.
The NPO served the ultimatum on the charge that the DC does not attend office regularly and extend little cooperation to the people and not consulting MLAs on welfare schemes and development programmes.
On the issue, a team of media-persons interacted with NPO president M Dili, DC Nidhi Kesarwani and different social leaders of the district today.
NPO president M Dili, while talking to the media , disclosed that the NSCN (IM) demanded certain percentage of the amount sanctioned by the Centre for rehabilitation of victims of the ethnic clash between Nagas and Kukis.
This was refused by the DC.
Subsequently, the outfit threatened the DC and her staff to stay away from their office.
Later, the NPO talked with the outfit including its Kilonser and persuaded them to withdraw the demand.
On the other hand, following the threat from NSCN (IM), the DC stayed at Imphal and Chandel, Dili said.
Even as the NPO intimated the DC to come to her office, she failed to make any response.
Peeved with the prolonged absence of the DC from her office, the NPO boycotted the DC since May 20 .
On May 21, the DC came to her office along with a company of CRPF.
The CRPF personnel then occupied the ZEO office, Horticulture office, NYK and District Literacy Society.
Thereafter, none of the employees attended their offices, asserted the NPO president.
On lodging a complaint to the DC in this regard, the DC reportedly replied that accommodation for CRPF personnel was being searched.
It was also a difficult task to visit the DC's office.
Moreover, the DC did not extend proper cooperation to the people prompting the NPO to serve the quit notice, Dili stated.
He further cautioned that protest movements will be launched in case the DC does not leave her office by July 7.To queries raised by media persons, M Dili said that there was a wide communication gap between public and the DC.
On development programmes, Nidhi Kesarwani never consulted with any section of the people nor with MLAs, he alleged.
However, there is no case of misappropriating schemes implemented by the district administration, he informed.
Asserting that the main culprits in the disappearance of PDS rice meant for Senapati district were the nominees of MLAs, the NPO president conceded they could not take up any action against those nominees of MLAs.
He further maintained that the two FCS inspectors suspended in connection with the rice scam were not guilty.
On the other hand, DC Nidhi Kesarwani denied having any idea of the issue involving herself.
She said that she was here to serve people and she would serve the people in the best level.
Regarding the allegation of the NPO that she did not extend cooperation to the people, the DC maintained that she did know what kind of cooperation the NPO meant.
"Besides meeting with all the people who come to my office, I've been travelling around the district to streamline district administration", she said.
To rectify previous irregularities and anomalies, attendance registers are being checked regularly to ensure that staff attend their office regularly and in time, the DC said.
Saying that the State Government has started distributing rice for Senapati district.
Rice for the month of May has been distributed to agents since today.
The State Government has also approved to sanction rice for the months of April and June, the DC conveyed.
Clarifying on her non-attendance of office, the DC said that it was according to the instruction of the Government which asked her to restrict her movement until adequate security cover was provided in the aftermath of the rebels' threat.
Arrangement for accommodation of the CRPF company do not affect district administration.
All the offices are functioning properly, she claimed.
Later, the media team also interacted with SDSA president Peter Kuba, senior student leader Souni, social worker Solomon Veino, Poumai Union speaker Th Apao, social worker Jonathan, social activists RV Pou, H Silas Zho, RT Dahrii, Kenedy of the Rehabilitation Committee Hills district Manipur.
Most of them opined that it is too early to comment on the performance of the DC as she has been only for a few months.
Till date, 90 percent of the works done by the DC appears to be good, they confided.
Denying any knowledge of the NPO's quit notice, most of these leaders observed that since Nidhi Kesarwani assumed office, the district administration has started functioning properly.
Asserting that neither the Government nor village secretaries or chairman of different areas would have detected any lapse or mistake on the part of the DC, they appealed to the NPO to withdraw their movement against the DC.
They went on to say that the president and the secretary of NPO were minority in their own organisation.
Except for these two posts, the NPO has been unable to induct other posts, they claimed.
Saying that the ultimatum served to the Government was based on their own personal decision, they claimed that the decision was not adopted in proper channel by convening general assembly of the organisation.