Students take stir against power cut to exam rooms
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 31 2011:
In an apparent display against the State Govt's failure to supply power in Tamenglong, candidates today wore black badges while appearing for their matric examinations in the Zeliangrong dominated district.
The remote district has been reeling under prolonged power cut since the last many months forcing the Zeliangrong Students' Union (ZSU) of the district to agitate against the blackout.
However that Manipur Electricity Department authorities have not given any explicit clarification till date, even as the candidates resorted to protest inside the examination halls.
Several Zeliangrong civil bodies had also threatened to launch various mode of stir if regular power supply was not restored ahead of the ongoing matriculation and standard XII examinations.
Under the aegis of the district's Zeliangrong Students' Union ( ZSU) the candidates, besides sporting black badges, also affixed placards with self-explanatory slogans at the examination centre's gates and even Government offices.
"Give us light to study," "Erratic power supply shows the partially between hill and valley students," "We demand immediate power supply," "where is the 133/32 KV line of Rengpang sub-station," were the tell tale slogans, said ZSU (Tamenglong) spokesman Saul Kamei.
"Tamenglong has been facing power cut every year during major examinations period and what is more awful or rather despicable is the fact that various political leaders and officials belonging to Zeliangrong community are sleeping over the issue," he lamented.
"Manipur Pradesh Congress Committee (President) Gaikhangam, two legislators � Awangbou Newmai and K Pamei and an IAS officer all are from Zeliangrong community have not come forward to address the issue.
This is very unfortunate," Kamei said.
On Wednesday the ZSU members shut down the power station office at Tamenglong district headquarters as part of their ongoing strike.
"If the Govt fails to comply with our legitimate demand by Friday we have no other alternative but to resort to harsher modes of stir,"
warned Kamei.