Imphal, May 24 2009: Notwithstanding the tremendous role being shouldered by the Manipur State Kala Akademi in promoting art and culture of the State, the Akademi is facing an insulting dislocation.

Speaking to media persons at its office at Khuman Lampak today, the Manipur State Kala Akademi Employees' Association said that the State Government has been asking the Akademi since 2006 to shift its office to make room for the National Sports Academy.

In response, the Manipur State Kala Akademi Employees' Association has been appealing to the Government to provide a suitable place for the Akademi and to build its office there before the Akademi is shifted from the present location.

However, no alternative site has been provided till date.

On the other hand construction of National Sports Academy has already begun within the complex of Manipur State Kala Akademi.

Under such a situation, employees of the Akademi are apprehensive over whether prized paintings, books and documents collected over the last many years would go missing or get lost, they conveyed.

Taking part in the press meet, assistant secretary of the Manipur State Kala Akademi Association, N Biren said that there was nothing wrong to shift the Akademi for construction of National Sports Academy and for that matter development of sports.

But it is irrational to ask for shifting the Akademi when no alternative office to house historic documents, books and paintings collected from within Manipur and beyond, not to mention about its annual programmes, has been arranged, he observed.

Mentioning that the State Government issued a notification on July 30, 2007 claiming that an area of 2.27 acres has been allotted to Manipur State Kala Akademi at Palace Compound, Biren disclosed that the State Government still could not go ahead with construction of State Kala Akademi building following strong objections from the pattadars of the land.

On the other hand, around Rs 3 crores have been already sanctioned for construction of the Akademi building.

At present, the State Government is not paying due attention to build a new Akademi building.

There has been no preparation to preserve the documents, paintings, books etc collected by the Akademi over a period of years.

Notably, though the Akademi is funded by the Government, it is still autonomous in its various activities.

The Gauhati High Court has also issued a ruling which prohibited shifting of the Akademi office before a suitable, alternative site is provided, they mentioned.

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