Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 29 2008:
All Manipur Municipal Council and Nagar Panchayat Councillors' Joint Action Committee submitted a memorandum to Governor Gurbachan Jagat pressing various demands.
Conveying that the Chief Minister cannot spare even a single second to meet Councillors, even Chairpersons for any developmental works as he is extremely busy with his normal duties, the memorandum pressed the Governor to segregate MAHUD from the Chief Minister.
The memorandum also demanded for a separate Director of MAHUD.
The memorandum said that as the MAHUD Joint Secretary is seating in the Old Secretariat and security being too tight, the Councillors and Chairpersons cannot meet him.
The memorandum further demanded for devolution of power and functions under Twelfth Schedule of the Indian Constitution to the Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).
The memorandum said that the Functional Domain of the Nagarpalikas listed in the Twelfth Schedule to the Constitution had already been assigned to the ULBs of most of the States.
But in Manipur, the State Government does not have any intention to devolve the power and functions to the ULBs, even though the Manipur Municipalities Act was passed in 1994 .
Maintaining that all the Nagar Panchayats except Heirok Nagar Panchayat are now functioning with great difficulty without any Executive Officer (EO), the memorandum also demanded for the appointment of EOs for each Nagar Panchayats.
It also demanded for the appointment of other regular staff.