MMWO urges landlords to cancel rent; tenants facing hunger
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 05 2020: As lockdown due to coronavirus outbreak has suspended all transport systems except essential services, many from far-flung areas are trapped in the capital city unable to go home.

Deeply concerned with the suffering of many who are staying at rented rooms in Imphal, Manipur Muslim Welfare Organisation (MMWO) has appealed landlords to waive off/cancel rent for tenants from far-flung areas of the State and Government to ensure they (tenants) get their share of essential items like rice and pulses during the lockdown.

Imphal city has thousands of people, most of them daily wage earners, from far-flung areas like Jiribam, Senapati, Churachandpur, Ukhrul, Sugnu etc trapped in their rented rooms as lockdown effects.

These people, unable to go home, are facing immense hardship, said MMWO appealing to the State Government, authorities concerned and locals to extend support to the people concerned.

They should be looked after by the landlords, localities and the Government and ensure that they feel safe and secure amidst the lockdown, added MMWO.

As these people from far-flung areas are facing financial problems due to lack of work during the lockdown, the landlords concerned should waive off their rental fees for the period of the lockdown, MMWO appealed.

'Hunger affects all' Being 'denied' of the food grain promised by the State Government for people to bear the challenges brought by the Nationwide lockdown, many staying at rented rooms in Langthabal Kunja Awang Leikai areas are facing imminent hunger.

About 200 tenants, especially daily wage earners, at the said locality which falls under Langthabal Assembly Constituency of Imphal West district are facing immense hardship, said one landlord on the condition of anonymity.

One of the female tenants claimed she has not received any relief from the Government till today.

"Most of us (tenants) have not got our share of rice and pulses as we are not included in the voters' list (as we are not of the locality)," she said.

"Earlier, some authorities had distributed relief materials- rice and pulses, but we were excluded and denied the relief," she added.

Another tenant also backed her statement and claimed she also has not received any relief from the authorities concerned.

"Lockdown affects us all regardless of who we are.

Whether we are in the locality's voters' list or not, hunger affects us all," she said expressing dissatisfaction at the Government for not enforcing and implementing the relief scheme effectively amidst lockdown due coronavirus.

"As this lockdown may continue, we will surely face hunger in two or three days.

We should be provided with rice and pulses.

Authorities concerned must not see voters' list to provide aid but observe who needs food and starving," she said.

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