Dharna spreads to Thoubal
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 18:
For the fourth consecutive day today, sit-in-protest demonstration was staged under the aegis of All Manipur Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats Joint Action Committee decrying huge monetary demand from various UG groups on the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) in Manipur.
The sit-in-protest demonstration staged at Thoubal Bazar today from 10 am to 4 pm was attended by around 200 people.
The protestors expressed unhappiness over the poor response from the UGs in this regard.
In connection with the protest demonstrations being staged since April 15, secretary of All Manipur Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats Joint Action Committee O Bimola Devi said that UGs in Manipur have been giving heavy pressure to all the ULBs in the State by demanding huge amount of money which cannot not be borne by the ULBs.
As a consequent, the UGs have kept the Municipal Council office of Nambol under lock and key and the Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats in other part of the State have not been able to carry on with their normal duties even as the Government of Manipur has been keeping mum on the demand for devolution of powers to the ULBs even though the 12 schedule of the Indian Constitutions and Manipur Municipalities Act, 1994 desire to do so.
As a result, ULBs in Manipur have been functioning only in name sake.
Under this circumstances, the ULBs in Manipur have no other alternative but to protest against the undue demands of the UGs and the failure of the Govt to live up to its commitment.
As first phase protest, sit-in demonstrations have been staged at Keishampat Junction on April 15, at Bishnupur Bazar on April 16 and at Mayang Imphal Bazar on April 17 .
In continuation, the ULBs have decided to stage similar protest demonstration at Lamlai Bazar tomorrow and not to pay concede to any type of monetary demands from the UGs.
If the UGs do not withdraw its monetary pressure, all the ULB offices of the State would remain shut down and launch pen down strike for five days with effect from April 21.As last option, all the councillors would be submitting their resignation letters en mass to the Chief Minister, Bimola said.