IMPHAL, January 13: Deputy Speaker Manipur Legislative Assembly, MK Preshow Shimray, has today launched a polo team ‘Heingang Pana’ dedicated to Heingang Ipudhou Marjing Khubam and a practice ground at Heingang Hill.
Attending the launch event as the chief guest, MK Preshow said that Heingang Ching is a very significant place for the game of Polo with the game said to be originated from this particular area of Heingang Assembly constituency.
The formation of team ‘Heingang Pana’ an initiative of the local MLA, N Biren, has added another dividend in reviving the Lord Marjing’s legacy, he said.
The Heingang polo team will help define more explicitly the origin of Polo in the international arena, said the Deputy Speaker.
Delivering his presidential speech, Heingang MLA, N Biren, divulged that the Government has sanctioned Rs 12 crore to build a 160 feet tall polo statue Marjing Hill Heingang, a dream which the Government has been dreaming since the last 10 years.
Biren revealed that during the tenure of TN Haokip as the Tourism minister, a DPR for the proposed polo statue was submitted to the Central with an estimate cost of Rs 30 crores from NLCPR.
But, the proposal failed to see the light of the day as there was no provision for funds for the said project, he said.
Nevertheless, with the Chief Minister in favour of the proposal considering the historical significance, today the State government has sanctioned Rs 12 crores, said MLA Biren adding that first forest clearance amounting to Rs 40 lakhs has been cleared.
The MLA strongly regretted the restriction imposed by some vested group of Heingang with regards to the novel project, which he construed as hindering the development path of Heingang.
He appealed the people of Heingang to stand against those politicising in development works and convinced them that such act tantamount to working against the public interest.
The MLA further revealed that the Chief Minister of Manipur is targeting to inaugurate the statue before upcoming 2017 Assembly election.
The event was also attended by Sugnu MLA K Ranjit Singh, Lamlai MLA Ksh Biren Singh, Nambol MLA N Loken Singh and L Manihar Pradhan of Heingang.