Imphal, February 05 (NNN): The All Tribal Students' Union Manipur (ATSUM) has imposed economic blockade from February 16 along the two National Highways - the lifelines of Manipur to protest non-fulfillment of demands of the tribal people of Manipur.

The tribal students' body had demanded filling up the vacancies in Government schools in the hill districts and also to give medical facilities and provide adequate doctors in the Primary Health Centres in the hill districts.

The ATSUM in a press statement issued to NNN today said that it has noted a case of "fishy thing" that the Government had issued the order for 100 point reservation roster for ST/SC on October 9, 1995 but it was only done today.

It said that the order should be published in the official Gazette the day it was issued nine years ago but it was done only today.

The publication of the order of the 100 point reservation roster for ST/SC in the Gazette will enable the medical students of ST/SC applicable to the PG seats allotted by Regional Institute of Medical Science (RIMS) to the Government of Manipur for the sponsored candidates with effect from the date of publication with two seats in each year.

The student body said that the loss of 18 seats for the last nine years should be immediately restored by the State Government.

The statement added officials in the Secretariat of Health Department had deliberately and with certain intention hidden the order from publishing in the Official Government Gazette of Manipur.

It further said that "after much pressure and petition, it was done so today in publishing the order in the Official Government Gazette after nine years of hiding the said order thereby denying the tribals of their reserved 18 PG seats." The statement of the tribal students apex body further said that the act of the Manipur Government was a naked discrimination of the tribals and " is not acceptable to us and we will not take lying down".

It demanded a high-level inquiry conducted by the Government and pulls up the officials and culprits involved in hiding the order from publication in the Official Government Gazette.

The student body also demanded that the tribal medical students be compensated for the lost of their seats and nominate them for the said course by way of backlog admission from the current year.

On the release of funds meant for the constructions of computer rooms under the computerisation of land records in 15 Blocks of Hills Districts, the tribal student body said that the funds should be immediately released to the respective Deputy Commissioners of the hill districts.

It further said that inspite of the repeated assurance given by the Chief Minister of Manipur, the State Government in connivance with certain agencies had betrayed the spirit of the agreement signed between the ATSUM and Manipur Govt.Unless the funds are released to the DCs of the hill districts, the work should be kept in abeyance, it added.

The ATSUM said these above stated two points of 100 point reservation roster for SC/ST and computerisation funds were also included in the numerous demands of the student body in which it is calling economic blockade in the two National Highways from Feb 16.

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