Imphal, May 25: The SPF Cabinet which met this evening has decided to extend the imposition of the Disturbed Area Status in Manipur which means that the Armed Forces Special Powers Act will be in force for another six months, barring the Imphal Municipal areas.

The decision to extend the Act is taken after every six months.

Bandh and blockade enforcers and sponsors will also face the music soon if the Government has its way.

According to a well placed source, the Cabinet after much deliberation, decided to first appeal to all bandh enforcers to step back and if this does not work, then it would pass an Act to penalise the offenders.

This will be done after a minute study is conducted on the economic and financial losses accrued due to the imposition of frequent strikes and bandhs in the State, said the source.

In addition to this the Cabinet also decided to rescind its earlier decision to cancel the regularisation order of the 170 adhoc teachers since a case is pending in the Court, said the source further.

The State Government had earlier announced that the appointment of such teachers stand cancelled and gave a detailed account of the proceedings.

The Cabinet after minute discussions also agreed to give the go ahead signal to the appointment of contract teachers in the hill districts.

The other important decision adopted by the Cabinet was to make sure that the respective DCs are kept informed of the rice being transported to their district by the contractors concerned.

No rice should be lifted without the knowledge of the DCs concerned was the decision adopted during the Cabinet meeting today.

The report of the Cabinet meeting was received late this evening and details are not available.

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