Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 10:
Decrying the failure of the State Government to implement the assurances given in connection with taking up developmental works in Tamenglong district, Zeliangrong Students' Union, Manipur (ZSUM) has decided to boycott the forthcoming Independence Day.
Announcing this during a press conference at the community hall of Sangaiprou Kabui village this morning, State secretary of ZSUM Majaibung Gangmei reminded that in connection with improvement of roads and bridges in Tousem, Haflong, New Keiphundai and Tamei as well as the condition of the educational institutions in Tamenglong district, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed with the Government after a joint meeting attended by Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh at his official bungalow on May 25 last.
The State Government had also given the assurance of starting the work and completing the same within first week of August.
However, over and above non-maintenance of the quality, there has been no progress in the work and the sanctioned orders not released.
In protest against such lackadaisical attitude, ZSUM surrendered the MoU to the Government and started its agitation of picketing the offices of DC, PWD and ZEO in Tamenglong district since August 3.Inspite of that the Government has not given any positive response, thereby constraining the student body to take the decision of picketing all the Government offices in the district with effect from midnight of August 13 and boycott the forthcoming Independence Day function on August 15, Gangmei asserted.
However, fire service, health, education and water supply would be exempted from the purview of the agitation, he added.
The student leader lamented that inspite of the proposal placed during the May 25 joint meeting for entrusting the task of repairing the roads and the bridges to BRO and BRTF, the Government has been playing a political game to divert the fund.
No one should think of diverting the fund released for development purposes in the State, he appealed.
The student leader also came out strongly against the failure of the Government to look into the problems of lack of adequate teachers and other infrastructural requirements in Model Village Government High School in Tamenglong district despite the matter brought to the notice of the Education Minister through a memorandum submitted on August 3.This is inspite of the announcement made by the Education Minister on the floor of Manipur Legislative Assembly on August 2 that the Government has a policy to improve the condition of the schools in the hill districts, he expressed surprise.
ZSUM is all set to intensify its going agitation and the Government should be held responsible for any untoward incident during the course of the agitation, he warned.