Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 01:
Protesting State Government�s failure to meet its demands on education fronts, All Tribal Students� Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has imposed indefinite economic blockade on all the National Highways running through the State from tomorrow.
"We are compelled to take this rigid stand as there is no other choice left," ATSUM president John Pulamte said while addressing a press conference here today.
He said that the decision to call indefinite economic blockade was taken after holding an emergency federal assembly of ATSUM today at IMA House, Lamphelpat where long standing demands �scrapped by the Government� were discussed.
"We would not call off the agitation until the Government translate our demands into action," he added resolutely, while appealing to the people to extend their support and co-operation during the agitation.
Media persons, essential services including medical and transport of relief materials would be exempted from the purview of the economic blockade, he spelled out while issuing strong warning against businessmen taking undue advantage of the economic blockade to hike prices of essential commodities.
Such unscrupulous persons would be severely dealt with by ATSUM, he affirmed.
The demands of ATSUM include implementation of the Government order for reinstatement of Additional Director of Education (Schools) for the hill areas, adequate teachers and other infrastructural needs in Government schools located in the hill districts among others.
It may be recalled here that ATSUM had imposed indefinite economic blockade on the national highways in pursuance of its demands for the first time during July 2003.However, after an assurance given by the Go- vernment to look into the demand, the agitation was called off.