Sadar Hills impasse: Koijam bats for permanent solution

IMPHAL: Opposition leader Radhabinod Koijam on Tuesday said the government should bring about a permanent solution to the crisis arising out of the demand for creation of Sadar Hills district.

The district demand is justified and reasonable and hence it should be complied with through a consensus to avoid any conflicts among leaders of the communities concerned, he said.

Also the former chief minister, Koijam appealed to both the Nagas and the Kukis to call off their sponsored economic blockades imposed on national highways and switch over to other modes of stir to ensure people don't bear the brunt of commodity crisis they have been facing for over a month.

"Blocking the lifelines and damaging trucks along the route is unjustified. The government should take action to bring essential commodities to the state," Koijam said here on Tuesday morning.

In pursuit of its almost four decade-long agitation seeking upgrade of Sadar Hills in Senapati to a full-fledged district, the self-explanatory Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) has been imposing economic blockades on national highways 39 and 53 since August 1. The committee has also called an indefinite general strike in Sadar Hills predominately settled by the Kukis. The United Naga Council (UNC), while denouncing the state government's alleged attempt to bifurcate Naga-dominated areas to create new districts in Manipur, has also imposed an indefinite economic blockade on all national highways in 'Naga areas' .

"If the state fails to resolve the impasse and bring in essentials, what is the meaning of having a popular government?" questioned Koijam, who is also state unit president of NCP. "The government should enhance the highway protection force and bring in commodities with all means of power," When I was holding the CM's post, we had already identified the required security posts along the highways," he said.

People should be made known that there is a government to fulfil their aspirations, the opposition leader added.

On the other hand, suspected blockade supporters burnt down at least seven goods trucks coming towards Imphal along with an army convoy at Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi area along National Highway 39 in Senapati district on Tuesday .