Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 17:
The All Naga Students' Association, Manipur (ANSAM) and the Kuki Students' Organisation (KSO) have agreed to suspend their ongoing agitation for one week with effect from tomorrow following an understanding arrived with Works Minister K Ranjit Singh during a joint meeting today.
The two student bodies have been agitating against the Government in pursuance of their demand for improvement of the condition of National Highway 39 among others.
The 24-hour bandh called by the agitating student bodies with effect from last midnight is still in force.
The student bodies had also announced earlier to go ahead with total economic blockade on the National Highways and stop transportation of all materials related to PWD if the Government fails to give a positive response to their demand even after the bandh.
To resolve the stalemate, Works Minister K Ranjit met the representatives of the student bodies at his official residence at around 3 pm today.
Representatives of All Tribal Students' Union, Manipur (ATSUM) attended the said meeting on behalf of ANSAM.
After a serious discussion on their demand and the assurance given by the Works Minister to do the needful, the agitating student bodies agreed to suspend the agitation for one week with effect from tomorrow.
During the meeting tghe Works Minister explained that necessary works for development of the National Highway could not be carried out because of inclement weather condition with the onset of Monsoon.
Nonetheless, he assured that the entire road work including black-topping would be completed by last week of October this year, and if not by first week of November.
The Union Ministry of Transport had already sanctioned the required fund to the PWD for taking up the road improvement work from North AOC, Imphal to Senapati within this period, he added.
The task of filling up the potholes along the National Highway being taken up by the PWD would also be stepped up from tomorrow, the Minister promised, while appealing to the agitating student bodies to call off their stir.
The resolutions of the meeting was also read out to mediapersons by the Minister himself.
Later talking to mediapersons, vice president of KSO Th Richard said the proposal of imposing ban on transportation of goods related to PWD on the National Highways has been postponed for one week with effect from tomorrow in respect of the assurance given by the Minister.
On account of the ANSAM-KSO sponsored 24-hour bandh called since last midnight, tourist bus services along the National Highway 39 remained affected.
The volume of traffic along the State Highways was also minimum though some private vehicles were seen plying.
The flight service, however, was not affected.