Imphal, June 4 (MExN): The Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZFY) has accused the government of Manipur (GoM) of failing to “translate commitment into action” by not relocating the Office of the Deputy Commissioner and all the other District Level Offices in the first of week of May.
During a meeting held on February 28, the GoM and ZYF had mutually agreed to carry out the relocation, said a press release from ZYF General Secretary Donpon Daimai.
The Chief Minister of Manipur Ibobi Singh; Kh. Ratankumar Singh, then Minister of Works; Z. Kikhonbou Newmai, the Vice-Chairman HAC; Janghemlung Panmei, MLA Tamenglong; and Biren, MLA represented the GoM while the ZYF was represented by its President Titus Kamei along with Chairmen of different Zones and Executive Members.
The meeting arrived at an understanding that the Office of the Deputy Commissioner and all the other District Level Offices shall be shifted in the first week of May to the Tamenglong district Secretariat which was already inaugurated on November 3, 2011, by the then Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram, it added.
However, ZYF maintained that not a single office has been shifted so far though three months have elapsed since the meeting.
ZYF had earlier launched a first phase six-day democratic agitations by closing the DC Office but suspended the second phase – a complete ban on National Projects and International Projects works undergoing in Zeliangrong areas- following the meeting with the state government.
According to ZYF, the meeting arrived at a seven points understanding the two parties which among other included: the state Chief Secretary to issue necessary orders for completion of all pending works; DC Tamenglong to issue necessary orders to DLOs for immediate shifting of their respective offices; to shift the Office of the Deputy Commissioner and all the District Level Offices by first week of May 2016; and to resume the agitation in case the government fails to fulfill the commitment.
Following the non-fulfillment of the agreement, ZYF at its executive meeting held on May 25 decided to resume the suspended agitation including indefinitely blocking the NH-37 with specific date to be announced within a few days time.
It further accused the GoM led by Chief Minister O. Ibobi Singh for ‘deceiving’ people of Tamenglong district by way of indulging in ‘nepotism and favoritism’ at the time of awarding contract works in adopting a deliberate suppressive policy in order to keep the people of Tamenglong district from getting actual development.
