New Delhi, July 23 2009: Dr Thokchom Meinya, MP from Inner Manipur on Thursday demanded for removal of Restricted Area Permit/ Protected Area Permit, a Dedicated Security Service for all National Projects, repeal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act and creation of Highway Protection Force in Manipur.

Participating in the discussion on the Demands for Grants relating to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Lok Sabha on Thursday, Dr Meinya reiterated that North Eastern Region had law and order problem.

All the national projects and those projects which had been in existence in the region could not be completed in time or could not be progressed properly.

The result was because of law and order situation, he said.

Referring to the to the reply to a question given by the Union Home Minister in the House a few days back, Dr Meinya underlined that two States namely assam and Manipur in the North Eastern Region remained States of concern.

In Assam, number of violent incidents happened was 221 and that of Manipur was 311 in 2009 .

Stating that Assam was so big and Manipur was very small; he drew the attention of the Union Home Minister to see the numbers.

In view of the bad law and order situation in the Region, Dr Meinya demanded for keeping a dedicated security service for all those existing projects as well as National Projects.

Dr Meinya informed the House that Restricted Area Permit/ Protected Area Permit had been in existence in Manipur and those foreigners who wanted to visit Manipur had to obtain the permission first from the Home Ministry.

In view of the permit, no foreign tourists would want to visit Manipur.

He vehemently appealed to the Home Ministry to remove the imposition of the Restricted Area Permit / Protected Area Permit from Manipur.

Dr.Meinya informed the House that he was repeatedly telling about the Armed Forces Special Powers Act in the House.

Of late, there had been discussions of lifting the Act from Jammu and Kashmir.

He stood by the recommendations of Justice Jeevan Reddy Committee which had recommended for repeal of the Act, he asserted.

Dr Meinya said, "Manipur has got two lifelines namely National highways 39 and 53 which are passing through the State of Nagaland and also through a portion of Assam.

Because of frequent blockades and extortions; essential commodities can not be reached in Manipur in time.

At the same time, it involves death of so many people in these two Highways.

I have been insisting that there should be a Highway Protection Force created for these areas so that our vehicles, our movements, conveyances and passengers are protected properly and we are not disturbed".

Union Home Minister P.Chadambaram who was in the House, attentively listened to the points raised by Dr.Thokchom Meinya.

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