Source: The Sangai Express / Newmai News Network
Imphal, March 05:
Owing to the failure of the state government to implement the agreement reached in letter and spirit with regard to the meeting between IT Road Development Committee, Kuki Students' Organisation of Sadar Hills and Zeliangrong Students' Union of Tamei on one side and the government team led by chief minister O Ibobi Singh, the tribal student organisations have decided to impose an indefinite economic blockade along the National Highway-39 and NH-53 in a few days time.
KSO (Sadar Hills), ZSU (Tamei) and members of IT Road Development Committee held a meeting today to discuss the non-implementation of the agreement reached in a meeting at the chief minister's office last month.
The student bodies decided in the meeting that they would go ahead with the indefinite economic blockade within a few days time.
The state government led by the CM last month had assured the agitating tribal social organisations that repairing works along the IT Road which include black topping would be started immediately but till date nothing has been initiated.
The organisations said that politicians should not put their hands in the contract works as agreed with the state government.
In the event of involvement of MLAs/ministers putting up their favoured contractors there would be series of strong agitations even if the work is implemented.
Citing reasons against the MLAs/ministers' involving themselves in awarding contracts to their own men, the bodies stated that IT Road has been lying neglected for decades and that the road falls under three to four MLAs' jurisdiction (Assembly Constituencies) but the MLAs had refused to acknowledge/hear the cries of the people living along the IT Road but today when various communities who are depending on IT Road join hands to take up their plight and the state government is willing to do something on the matter, it will be a great shame for any politician eyeing contract works.
They further contended that any work involving politicians leaves a bad taste in addition to being unsatisfactory.