Imphal, January 14: Setting February 1 as the deadline for removal of army from the complex of Manipur Mountaineering Institute (MMI) set up at Lamdan in Churachandpur district, Manipur Mountaineering and Trekking Association (MMTA) has served an ultimatum to the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh warning of taking resource to various democratic form of agitations in case the demand is not met.

Addressing a press conference in this regard at Khuman Lampak Sports Complex here today, vice president of MMTA Doren Chongtham informed that the ultimatum was been served to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on January 5 as last resort after Governor Dr SS Sidhu and Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh have not listened to the complaint against setting up of army post at MMI complex where an adventure and leadership park has been set up for the first time in India.

It is said that army post has been stationed within the complex of MMI since 2004 .

He said that in order to bring up to the present state of the MMI complex, MMTA has striven for 27 years.

However, after the occupation of the complex by the army over the last few years, the smooth functioning of the institution has been jeopardised disrupted.

Earlier 58 Gorkha Rifles was stationed and now a post of the 15 JKLI has been set up in the complex.

Secretary of MMTA Dr L Surjit who also addressed the press conference pointed out that the most of the existing infrastructures at MMI are being used by the army today.

The presence of the army personnel has led to a situation in which syllabus could not be covered in time and training or PT conducted freely.

The defence system of the army is also acting like an obstacle in the activities of the institute and this is a perplexing situation for the adventure sports and nature lovers, he noted.

On top of this, even for taking up some developmental work of the institute the prior permission of the army is to be sought.

The manner in which the permission are being made to seek from the persons who are staying in our own house has caused apprehension whether it is a deliberate attempt to destroy the existence of the MMI, Dr Surjit said.

In case of any untoward incident like the firing attack, stationing of army in the complex is likely to posed danger on the lives of the students of the institute, he noted.

'We are not posing any challenge to the army, but we would be launching democratic movement in the interest of saving the institute', Dr Surjit explained.

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