IMPHAL, October 19: The demand for a separate Sadar Hills district was received with mixed response during the 5th public hearing of the Committee on Re-organization of Administration and Police District Boundary this morning.
The committee had conveyed its 5th hearing today at the office chamber of the chief secretary this morning at 11am.
The hearing was also attended by representatives of three organizations out of the six that had submitted their representations to the committee for the participation earlier.
Speaking to media persons at the end of the hearing, president of the Bungpi Area Chief Association, Senapati district Paokhai Lupheng stated that he had expressed his support to the demands of the Sadar Hills Districthood Demand committee for the creation of a full fledged Sadar Hills district and demanded inclusion of all Kuki villages scattered in Senapati and Ukhrul districts in the proposed district during the hearing.
He also presented before the committee that Kuki villages that are scattered around the two districts since 1992 as a result of the Kuki-Naga ethnic clash have been suffering for long and need special attention from the state government.
Further according to him, he had also pointed out that it would be more convenient for both the government and villagers concerned if the said villages are included in the proposed Sadar Hills district.
Meanwhile, president Southern Senapati Naga Village Council while speaking to media persons informed that, in his argument he had put before the committee that most of the Kuki villages in Senapati district had arrived much later the other ethnic tribes into the district and since the inauguration of the Sadar Hills as a full-fledged district is totally in the interest of only the Kuki community, his council can never support the demands of the SHDDC.
However, the Chiefs/chairmen of Kangchup SDC Circle, president informed media persons that he had tabled a written opinion before the committee.
In the statement, the body has reaffirmed its stand to support the demands for a separate Sadar Hills district.
It argued that the Sadar Hills was not formed suddenly and it has a clear-cut boundary since its creation in 1971 and the demand is not the creation of a new district by altering its boundaries but restoring a full-fledged district without altering the existing boundary.
It has further mentioned that, since its inception, villages of Kangchup area have been paying Hil house tax at Kangpokpi sub-division now Saitu-Gamphazol sub-division, which proves that the villages belong to Kangchup circle of Saitu Gamphazol sub-division of Sadar hills Manipur.
The representation has further mentioned that the villagers of the area have no objection problems in terms of administration and police boundaries under Saitu-Gamphal sub-division of Sadar Hills district,
Their representation further argued that they have no problems with the present administration and police boundaries under Saitu-Gamphal sub-division of Sadar Hills district, so a new demarcation of boundaries and alteration of the existing boundaries are not acceptable to the people of the area.
It has also added that any re-organisation of the boundaries without the consent of the people of Kangchup SDC circle in the names of the administrative convenience and police boundaries will not be acceptable to the people.