Imphal, August 24: Manipur Gorkha Welfare Union has beseeched the State Government for changing the nomenclature of 10-Kanglatongbi Zilla Parishad to 10-Kalapahar Zilla Parishad with administrative set up within Kangpokpi TD Block.

In a representation submitted to the Rural Development & Panchayati Raj, the Union said that the Government of Manipur had been kind enough to provide Panchayati Raj system within Sadar Hills West area of Senapati district where there is large concentration of non-tribal population, mostly Nepali.

The representation submitted to the Minister of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj by its general secretary pointed out that though Kanglatongbi village falls in Imphal West-I of Imphal West district under the jurisdiction of 16 (SC)-Sekmai A/C and Sekmai Police Station, and the rest of the majority of the villages of the 10-Kanglatongbi Zilla Parishad under the jurisdiction of Sapermeina and Kangpokpi Police Station of Senapati district, the then Government had to include Kanglatongbi in the formation of 10-Kanglatongbi Zilla Parishad on the basis of population criteria.

Consideration of the demographical habitation of the non-tribal population of which 90 percent are Nepali had also been made, it added.

The jurisdiction of 10-Kanglatongbi Zilla Parishad begins from Kanglatongbi village to the south and ends at Noopani village to the north which stretches about 30 kms along the foothills of the Koubru Range.

But the administrative office is located at Haorang Sabal Block which is about 30 kms away from the near end of the Parishad's jurisdiction, i.e.along the Kangchup near Iroisemba.

Therefore, the elected Councillors, Pradhans, members and the general public have to cover a distance of about 12 0 kms to and fro from the far end of the Parishad, which is very much inconvenient.

Thus before the arrival of the present system, the then three Panchayats namely the Kanglatongbi GP, Keithelmanbi GP and Kangpokpi GP were placed under the administration of the Tribal Development Block of Sadar Hills West Sub-Division at Kanglatongbi vide Govt of Manipur order No.A/III/ (13)/ 41/ Panch dated 4th June, 1968, the representation noted.

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