Centre to look into ADCs' woes
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, March 14 2013: The agitating members of the Autonomous District Councils (ADCs) , who are demanding greater autonomy and more devolution of power from the State Hovernment, have now got a breather as the Centre has assured to intervene and try to address their grievances.

During its recent visit to New Delhi, a 13-member ADC delegation met hordes of Central leaders including the President, UPA chairperson, Prime Minister, Home Minister, Tribal Affairs Minister, Doner Minister and AICC vice president Rahul Gandhi one after another and highlighted their woes.

The council members are demanding adequate devolution of powers in respect of Central schemes and 26 subjects (Government sectors) provided under the provisions of the Manipur (Hill Areas) District Council (Third Amendment) Act 2008 and separate budget and separate demand heads of the six ADCs.

"Since the State Government sidelined our demands, we left for Delhi on February 22 and stayed their till Saturday last during which we met the Central leaders," said ADC coordinating committee secretary Hemjathang Khongsai , one of the delegation members.

"The Central leaders, who took serious note of our grievances, assured to intervene and to ensure that our legitimate demands are complied with by the State Government in no time," he said at a hurriedly summoned media conference here on Thursday afternoon.

Home Minister Sushil Kumar Sindhe, who assured of taking up the matter with Chief Minister O Ibobi, even told the delegation to come to New Delhi again if the demands are not implemented, he claimed.

Following this, the Chief Minister has now verbally promised to meet the demands raised, Khongsai said adding "We will wait and watch the response of the both the Centre and State Government for some days and accordingly decide whether we will continue our agitation or not" .

He said equal development in the State would take place only when powers are devolved to the local bodies in the hills.

The ADC members belonging to six district councils � Ukhrul, Tamenglong, Churachandpur, Chandel two in Senapati district including Sadar Hills � had in January this year even threatened to resign en-mass if their demands were not complied with.

Defying Naga civil bodies' boycott, the State Government had conducted the ADC polls in 2010 under heavy security cover after a gap of two decades.

The Naga ADC members, who are still facing threats, have been staying in Imphal under security cover since they were elected.

On the other hand, the ADC members condemned in the strongest term the grenade attack on the residence of the council's Chandel district chairman Lhukhosei Zou at Moreh town by suspected rebels on Monday night.

Zou's brother-in-law sustained splinter injury on his right shoulder in the attack.

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