Manipur torn between district demand and UNC stand
Sadar Hills District Demand Committee supporters at Kangpokpi during the indefinite general strike demanding the upgrade of Sadar Hills subdivision to a full-fledged district. Picture by UB Photos
Imphal, Aug 9 : Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh is torn between the Kuki demand for Sadar Hills district and the Naga warning against creation of the district without their consent, as the state reels under the impact of an indefinite strike called by the Sadar Hills District Demand Committee.
While the demand committee has set August 15 as the deadline for announcing the district, the United Naga council (UNC) has cautioned the government against creating it without consent of the Nagas.
As the tussle goes on, supply of essential commodities to the state has been disrupted since July 31, when the committee launched its agitation.
Both supply lines of the state — the Imphal-Dimapur and Imphal-Jiribam highways — pass through Sadar Hills, which lie in Senapati district. Strike supporters have totally blocked all traffic along these routes.
The disruption of supply has hugely impacted the residents of the state.
“As there has been no fresh supply of essential commodities, the prices have gone up. One kilogram of potato, which used to cost Rs 15 earlier, is now being sold at Rs 25 to Rs 30 a kg. Onion, garlic and edible oils are costlier by Rs 10 to 15 per kg,” trader P. Kesho Singh said.
Health services, too, are feeling the heat.
While authorities of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences and Jawaharlal Nehru Institute of Medical Sciences, both based in Imphal, reported low stocks of oxygen, drug dealers said the state would face scarcity of medicines if the supply lines were not restored within the next four days.
“The most affected are the poor people like us with a hand-to-mouth existence. The government should restore normal supply and check the price-rise,” Pukhrambam Mani, a construction labourer from Imphal West, said.
As there is no mechanism to check prices, shopkeepers are selling essential commodities at varying prices, traders and consumers said.
The situation is likely to get worse, as a discussion between a delegation of the demand committee and chief minister this afternoon failed to arrive at an agreement.
The delegation included Paokai Haokip, former MP and two Kuki legislators from Sadar Hills, Thangminlien Kipgen and Haoklholet Kipgen.
After the discussion, Haokip said they had not arrived at any agreement and that the committee had rejected an appeal by Ibobi Singh to call off the strike.
“We demanded that the government should declare Sadar Hills district by August 15. The chief minister, while agreeing that the demand was justified, said he could not give any commitment. We will continue the strike until the demand is met,” Haokip said.
On the other hand, the UNC today said it would not accept bifurcation of “Naga areas” without the their consent and warned that they would oppose creation of the Sadar Hills district without consulting the Nagas. The council said it had signed an MoU with the state government in 1998, which said resolution to the Sadar Hills issue would be brought about through consensus of the Kukis and Nagas.
It demanded free passage for emergency cases, including patients, and cautioned the government that it would be blamed if there was any casualty because of lack of medical attention.
Government spokesperson and food and civil supplies minister N. Biren Singh said the government was working on a plan to resume supply along the Ukhrul-Jessami road, which connects Imphal with Senapati through Ukhrul district, in the next few days.
Buses and smaller vehicles have already started using this route. Altogether 33 vehicles, including 11 loaded buses, arrived in Imphal yesterday through Jessami road and more vehicles are heading along that route.
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