Dimapur, May 19 (MExN): The Home Minister of Nagaland, Y Patton today visited the ‘Daring Ninth’ 9th IR Headquarter, Saijan in Peren and inspected the activities and efforts taken up by the unit. He was accompanied by DGP L.L. Doungel IPS and IGP (NAP) L.B. & PS to Home Minister, L B Lemtur IPS.
The Commandant of the IR Unit, C James Kinghen in a press informed that during the visit the Home Minister Patton laid wreath on the martyr’s memorial stone erected at Unit Park.
The Home Minister also lauded the activities and efforts taken up by the unit and complimented the unit for the election duty held recently in Assam and West Bengal and maintained that the state is peaceful because of unit’s efforts, it added.
The Unit Commandant while briefing the history of the unit, said that the unit was raised in 1999 at Chakhabama under the then Commandant L. B. Lemtur who is the presently the IGP (NAP) and since then it has been serving the state and tackling various sensitive law and order duties.
“The unit also served outside the state namely Anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh, where 21 jawans’s lives were lost during their duty,” he added.
While highlighting the grievances of the unit, Kinghen stated that scarcity of water has been causing extreme hardship to the jawans, families and children during off season.
He also said the battalion is being provided with 250 KVA transformers which are not sufficient to supply electricity to the entire camp and informed that unit is in need of 500 KVA transformers.
The commandant also requested the state government to allot additional requirement of vehicles since most of the unit vehicles were off-road and become unserviceable after rendering for almost 17 years. Further, he requested the authority to replace WT equipments of the unit on priority basis as the present WT equipment of the unit do not meet the requirement for the duty detailed at different locations within and outside the state.
Responding to the unit grievances on water scarcity, upgrading of transformers, additional requirement of vehicle, requirement of WT etc. highlighted by unit CO, the Home Minister assured to address the grievances and give assistance, the press note informed.
Patton also took note of the urgency of the issue, it added and said a request has been made to PHD engineer about water scarcity and Geology and Mining Department to take up the responsibility and assured that the work would be carried out between September and December.
The Home Minister also said that prostration for the post of driver have to submit to the concerned department and all off-road vehicles should be send immediately for the proposal of equipment, it added.
The Home Minister also paid a visit to Ladies Family welfare (LFW) and Rs.50, 000/- to LFW. The LFW members have been sewing clothes and bags and making washing power to generate family income, it added.
