IMPHAL, November 5: In a bid to oust the present Chairperson of the Imphal Municipality Council, altogether eleven councilors out of the total twenty seven has submitted a no-confidence motion to the executive officer of the IMC today at around 2.30 pm.
Speaking to media persons at a press conference held at Hotel Kristina located at Governor road, the eleven councilors had projected Aribam Nimai Sharma, councilor of ward number 18 as their representative for the chair.
According to M Subhaschandra, councilor of ward number 16, he said that the Council was formed on June 2011. Since the last one and half years after its formation, the present Chairman is not doing any credible work and completely ignores the suggestions tendered by the councilors.
“We want the IMC to be a responsible body, our schemes has been utilized by other departments regarding the market shed administration, parking etc. Imphal cannot become a green city and Raghumani is not fit and has to go for the IMC to improve”, he added that it was their democratic right to do so.
He said that out of the 27 councilors, they have a majority number of 15 and controls six committees out of eight of the IMC.
Newtonchandra, councilor of ward number 3 in similar lines mentioned that the Chief Minister’s dream is to convert Imphal into a green city but they have not been able to do anything to make it a reality. “We feel that something can be done with the remaining time under the leadership of Nimai, we need an energetic and dedicated leader”, he said.
Aribam Nimai Sharma, the projected Chairperson said that there were no prior plans to take up the no-confidence motion but was decisive result of a meeting held today.
He alleged that the Chairperson has been using his powers excessively and without the consent of the house. The Thoubal Municipality Council was awarded 26 crore as they had submitted the Detailed Project Report to the Centre but the IMC has done nothing substantive. It is a shame for the IMC councilors,we could have received a similar amount had we sent up the DPR, he said.
He further mentioned that a cabinet decision has resolved to make the IMC a corporation but it cannot be carried out in practicality. An award of Rs 3 lac was given from the ministry to IMC for taking up 1250 housing schemes under JNURM and the acknowledgement mentions the IMC as a corporation, the Government recognizes us in that status now, he said.
Mentioning other problems incurring within the administration of the IMC, the councilors present at the meet felt that a changing of the present Chairman is called for a smooth and effective functioning of the Council in the interest of the public. The no confidence motion was submitted under the provision of Section 31of the Manipur Municipalities Act.
Meanwhile, IFP talking to Chairman N Raghumani said that the functioning of the IMC has been hindered due to lack of co-operation among the committee members of the Council. He said that there has been no suggestive agenda from the councilors in the scheduled Council meetings held each month.
Raghumani said that whatever complaints that the councilors could be worked out internally as the objective is for development of the municipal areas. He voiced that the Congress councilors are acting out of protocol for signing the no confidence motion. Such actions should be priorly discussed with the MPCC President or the Chief Minister according to Congress Party norms, he said.
The 11 councilors who signed the motion are A Nimai Singh, M Suvachandra, L Arenkumar Singh, Ksh Umesh Singh, S Reeta Devi, RK Bimolini Devi, Th Purnachandra Singh,H Nutanchandra Singh, Birjit Loushambam, Y Ratikanta Singh and Ph Praneshori Devi.
There are 16 Congress councilors out of the total 27.