Newmai News Network Imphal | July 27 Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh has assured the Manipur Legislative Assembly today that problems with groups under Suspension of Operations (SoO) will be sorted out soon to find an amicable solution. He was replying the clarifications sought by the opposition members while discussing the demands for grants for different constituent departments under Home Department. The Chief Minister said, the government is fully committed to ensure a peaceful environment in the State and therefore all outstanding issues and problems will be sorted out to discuss with the stakeholders. He said, to bring an amicable solution to the problems with the Kuki militant groups under SoO, the State Government has approached the Centre to initiate dialogue process and consequently the former Director of Intelligence Bureau (IB) Devendra Sharma has been appointed as Interlocutor. Dialogue process will soon be started and may begin this week and within a time frame Government will try to bring a durable solution, he added. Various measures in place to ensure rule of law, say CM The main concern of the Government is to ensure rule of law in the State. No one is above the law and therefore, anybody which is found guilty will be punished, Singh further maintained. To establish a cordial relationship between the people and police, community policing will be a good option and it will be very helpful in the timely intervention of mob justice, accidents, rape and suicide etc, he added. Further clarifying concerns expressed by the Opposition members over the alleged increase in number of illegal tax collection in the national highways, the Chief Minister said that stern action is on to ban such illegal acts and strict instructions have been given to the police and other security agencies. Altogether 37 NSCN (IM) cadres have been arrested so far with such cases, he added. On establishment of Highway Protection Force, Biren Singh said, four new Battalions of India Reserve Battalion (IRB) will be established especially dedicated to the protection of National Highways in the State. No restrictions have been imposed to the police recruitment process, he clarified informing that all pending results pertaining to police recruitment will soon be out and the process of recruiting new IRB personnel will be started after that. Altogether, there are 30,819 sanction posts the police department, but out of this, 7,411 posts are lying vacant. On drugs and other substance abuse, the Chief Minister said, mass drive is being carried out by police with people in various places including innumerable hill areas and as many as two kilograms of Heroin No.4 have been seized so far and a number of tablets have also been seized. He appealed the people through the House to co-operate with the initiatives. Expressing concern over the increasing number of crimes against women in the State, Singh said, there is the need to conceptualise a system to check any form of violence against women even by using social media. “The government is serious to check any form of violence against women and and dedicated First Track Court has been established,” he added. On the demands made by the Home Guards personnel, the Chief Minister who is also in charge of Home said the Government respects their service but it is not in a position to fulfill their demand to implement the same salary with the police personnel for time being. The Government will look into the matter and will try to increase their allowances, he said. Singh further promised more fire stations and sub stations will be established to enable timely intervention on any fire fighting in the State. “Forensic Science Laboratory will be equipped with the best sophisticated equipment under Police Modernisation Scheme. Remote operating vehicles, remote wire cutting vehicles and other bomb diffusing equipment will be procured under the Scheme,” he added. Later, the House unanimously passed a total amount of Rs.1412,71,29,000 (One thousand Four Hundred Twelve Crore Seventy One Lakh Twenty Nine Thousand) for five different departments under Home Department. It includes Police, Vigilance, Fire Protection and Control, Jails and Home Guards.
