IFP IMPHAL, October 26: The elected Autonomous District Council members of Sadar Hills District has fixed October 31 a deadline for declaration of Sadar Hills as full-fledged District of Manipur and warned if government failed to do so, various agitations will be launch in the Sadar Hill's area.
In this regard a sit-in-protest was held at the campus of ADC office Kangpokpi by the Elected Members of ADC in collaboration with various civil society organization and women union today.
In the side line of the sit-in-protest Thangkham Misao Vice-Chairman of ADC Sadar Hills District and also the District Congress Committee President said Sadar Hills district has not been declared as full-fledged district even though it fulfils all criteria, even though the demand is 43 years old.
The people of Sadar Hills have always been given step motherly treatment, he said. This ADC has enough infrastructures to be full-fledged district. It has three assembly segments and eight blocks which five block is fully functioning after the Chief Minister approved them, and has a population of 1.93 lakhs and 1698 square Km of area.
He said that in the up gradation to full-fledged district of the state government, there will not be any extra financial involvement for its infrastructure construction or other purpose. In the past various Chief Ministers of Manipur have signed a number of MoUs for the declaration of Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district. However, till today the dream is not realised and Sadar Hills continues to be kept under Senapati District, and this has cost the region dearly in terms of development.
He further said that in 1971 the Parliament of India had created six ADC in Manipur. Five ADC out of six have been upgraded to full-fledged District of Manipur and today they function smoothly in state. Only Sadar Hills have been left out.
He said declaring Sadar Hills as a full-fledge district will not affect Manipuri Integrity. "We want development for Sadar Hills District people. It will not hurt the Manipur state," he reiterated.
"Sadar Hills has lagged behind in terms of developmental work. Other hills districts have already shot ahead in development. Full-fledge district means speedy development and administration," he added.
He said ADC Sadar Hills and its elected members cannot serve the people fully because Sadar Hills is still not a full-fledged district. "So we have decided to launch various agitations if the government does not declared Sadar Hills a full-fledge district by October 31," he warned.
Meanwhile, Lunthang Haokip, Executive Member of ADC Sadar Hills and District Vice President of Congress Committee said that during July 14, 1982 former Chief Minister Rishang Keising was prepared to declare Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district, and his cabinet had passed resolution in this regard, along with separation of Thoubal and Bishnupur districts, to be inaugurated as separate districts after boundary adjustments.
However, Sadar Hills was left out again when Thoubal and Bisnupur were inaugurated as full-fledged districts in 1996/97.
On January 10, 2000 during W Nupamacha as Chief Minister under the resolution of cabinet agenda number 12 Sadar Hill was processed to be inaugurated as full-fledge district but it also failed. Till today, Sadar Hills District Council is being kept as name only under Senapati District, he said.
"We therefore demand full-fledged district status for Sadar Hills," he said. "We have suffered step motherly treatment for more than 43 years, and now the limit has been reached," he said.
