The All Manipur Border Area Development Association (AMBADA), Churachandpur has on Friday threatened to call a 48-hour hill areas bandh from midnightof August 31 to protest the Manipur Cabinet resolution of July 14, 2017 regarding implementation of Border Area Development Programme (BADP) in the state allegedly against the Centre’s guidelines.
AMBADA submitted a memorandum to the Secretary, Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs seeking redressal against the move by the state government.
It urged the department for cancellation of the Manipur Cabinet Meeting Resolution-IV dated 14 July, 2017, saying the resolution is against the Centre’s guidelines and rights of the land owners.
As per the Cabinet decision, scheme costing upto Rs 5 lakh (in place of existing Rs 20 lakh in general) only may be taken up by the village authority, the memorandum mentioned.
It said this decision is directly or indirectly suppressing the right, power and function of the village chief and tribal customary law.
“It’s against the guidelines of BADP given for 17 states of India, including Manipur. The Cabinet adopted the decision without consulting the stakeholders,” the memorandum said.
In the meantime, the AMBADA in a meeting today resolved to impose hill districts bandh with effect from midnight of August 31 till midnight of August 2, a statement said.
It said the bandh strategy and future course of action will be discussed in a meeting of all village chiefs/ headmen to be held on August 29 at the Tangkhul Avenue, Imphal community hall.
The association said United Naga Council (UNC), Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM), Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), All Naga Students’ Association Manipur (ANSAM) and All Tribal Students’ Union Manipur (ATSUM) would be consulted by the AMBADA central committee with regard to the proposed protest.
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