IMPHAL, November 3: Councilors of the Imphal Municipal Council today condemned the demolition of temporary godowns constructed at the Temporary Market Shed yesterday under a government order.
The councillors called a press conference in this regard today at the IMC’s conference hall.
They opined that the act of the State government amounts to traversing on their roles regarding developmental works in the urban areas.
Yesterday, Lamphel SDO A Radhabinod under the Manipur Public Premises (Eviction of Unauthorised Occupants) Act, 1978 directed dismantling of the temporary godown constructed at the market shed following which the structure was brought down.
Ward No. 10 councillor Salam Tiken said the godown was set up to help the vendors and at the same time earn some revenue for the IMC.
The structure was constructed at a site where garbage used to be piled, following a resolution adopted on October 31, 2011 during a meeting chaired by the then chairperson N Raghumani Singh, he continued.
However, the structure has been dismantled as unauthorised by the State government, he continued.
Voicing the collective displeasure of the councillors, Salam Tiken said they are not allowed a free hand in the development of the urban areas.
If the government has to intervene in all the works of the councillors then it is better to abolish the entire structure of IMC, he continued.
Ever since, they have been elected, the State government has never considered it necessary to consult them before taking up any developmental work in the urban areas, he said.
Dismantling only the godown structure is uncalled for and illogical at the same time, as there are also many vendors vending under unauthorised structures who have been overlooked by the government, he continued.
Now, it seems like the only assigned works for the councillors are to sweep the roads and maintain the parking lots, whereas all the other beneficial work projects are undertaken by the government departments, he lamented.