11 member executive body of SHDDC assumes office for three year term
Sadar Hills ready to roar again with district demand
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 09 2011: After a lull, the stage is once again set for a series of agitation to erupt over the demand for upgradation of Sadar Hills to a full-fledged revenue district if the Government fails to consider the demand within the current month.

Over the last 40 years, the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee has pressurising the Government to upgrade Sadar Hills to the status of a full fledged revenue district.

Consolidating its position along with electing 11 new office bearers for a term of three years, a special prayer session was held at the office of the Committee at Kangpokpi today.

The newly elected 11-member executive body of the Committee is headed by Ngamkhohao Haokip as president; Thangkam Lupheng, Gokul Sharma and Letgou Louvum as vice presidents and Tonghen Kipgen as general secretary.

Today's special prayer session was also attended by Chairman of Sadar Hills Autonomous District Council Seipu and other members, Church leaders and representatives of KSO (Sadar Hills), Kuki Inpi (Sadar Hills) and Kuki Women's Union (Sadar Hills) .

Talking to mediapersons on the sideline of the special prayer session, the newly elected general secretary of the Committee, Tonghen Kipgen recalled that the State Government had already given the assurance of upgrading Sadar Hills to a full-fledged revenue district at the occasion of inaugurating the Mini Secretariat being constructed at Kangpokpi.

Sadar Hills ADC Chairman Seipu addresses the gathering

The assurance was given to the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand Committee in the presence of local MLAs Haokholet Kipgen, Thangminlen Kipgen and Doukhomang Khongsai.

Tonghen observed that the Mini Secretariat at Kangpokpi was earlier proposed to be inaugurated in June.

But as the construction work could not be completed, the inauguration has been delayed.

Yet before the end of the current month, it would be inaugurated for sure.

The people of Sadar Hills expect that the Government would make an official announcement on the upgradation of Sadar Hills to a district at the occasion of inaugurating the Mini Secretariat.

However, the inauguration of the Mini Secretariat would make hardly any difference if the Government fails to grant district status to Sadar Hills within the current month and the Committee would resume its agitation with more vigour and effectively, Tonghen informed, adding that the line of agitation to be adopted would be discussed and finalised in a meeting of the Committee very soon.

Tonghen categorically stated that since the Government had given assurances time and again but failed to keep them, the Committee has no trust on the Government any more.

Over the last 40 years, the Committee has resorted to various movement including imposition of bandh and blockade.

But the demand has remained unfulfilled.

So, a new mechanism of exerting pressure on the Government over the demand needs to be adopted.

He pointed out that Sadar Hills has a total population of 1.74 lakh people, which is even more than the population of people in Chandel district.

Moreover, there is three Assembly Constituencies in Sadar Hills whereas it is only two in Chandel district.

In addition, the offices of most Government departments are located and there are adequate infrastructure in Sadar Hills, From the point of topography too, Sadar Hills areas have already been divided into three sub-divisions.

The State Cabinet has also repeatedly taken resolution in the past on upgradation of Sadar Hills to a full-fledged revenue district, Tonghen added.