The Zeliangrong Civil Organisations (ZCOs) comprising Zeliangrong Baudi, Zeliangrong Youth Front and Zeliangrong Students’ Union on Tuesday thanked MLA Leishiyo Keishing, who is also the former Chairman of Hill Areas Committee (HAC), Manipur Legislative Assembly for raising the issues of district boundaries during the Manipur Assembly Session.
It expressed gratitude to the MLA for elaborately explaining the detailed background of hardships and grievances of the people living in SADAR hills and Churachandpur districts in the House and highlighting the unavoidable need for effecting district re-organisation at the earliest for permanent peace and tranquility in the State, stated a release.
It said that the Zeliangrong people have been demanding for amalgamation of Zeliangrong villages which were sliced off from Tamenglong district at the time of creation of SADAR Sub-Division in 1933 and upgradation of Churachandpur district in 1969.
It also noted the positive response and assurance made by Chief Minister, N Biren Singh and Leader of the House to the calling attention motion raised by MLA Leishiyo regarding the issues. It expressed hope that the present Government will definitely carry out the district boundaries re-organisation to fulfill the long pending demand of Zeliangrong people.
It mentioned that a Committee on Re-Organisation of District Boundaries on Administrative Conveniences (CoRDBAC) was formed in 2011 with the then Chief Secretary of Manipur, DS Poornia as the Chairman, the then DGP and former Dy Chief Minister of Manipur, Y Joykumar Singh and the Commissioner of Revenue Department, Government of Manipur, Raghumani as members of the Committee.
It asserted that a public hearing was conducted by the said Committee in which leaders of the Zeliangrong Civil Organisations attended and stated the clear position of Zeliangrong people. All the chiefs of the villages, Headmen, Khullak accompanied by elders of the affected villages also attended and highlighted their situation and affirmed their stand in an unambiguous manner before the Committee, it maintained.
It further said that a public rally was also organized by the Zeliangrong Organisations in Imphal where many affected people led by their respective villages Chief and comprised of social leaders, women’s, youths and students’ leaders and many elders participated and demonstrated their grievances. It added that a delegation also met with the then Manipur Governor, Gurbachand Jagat and submitted a memorandum to him.
The release also mentioned that another Committee was formed in 2018 headed by retired Judge, Binoykumar as the Chairman, however the activities of the Committee remains unknown till date.
It expressed discontentment over the alleged fallacy and impracticable policies of the past successive Governments. The same has rendered the Zeliangrong people to suffer with deprivation of facilities and opportunities in developmental works, subjugation and marginalization of democratic right to represent even in local bodies specifically ADCs of Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts, suppression and domination in administration process, it accused.
It reiterated its appeal to the present Government to fulfil the long pending amalgamation demand of Zeliangrong villages falling under Kangpokpi and Churachandpur district into Tamenglong and Noney district by effecting reorganisation of district boundaries at the earliest so as to usher permanent and lasting peace and tranquility in Manipur.
