Manipur Govt Sends Feelers to Naga Students' Union

Imphal, May 18 : Manipur government has sent feelers for holding talks with agitating Naga students union, which has been blocking national highways since one month to protest government's plan to hold elections to autonomous district councils.

Manipur Sports Minister and Government Spokesman N Biren today said that the government was confident that All Naga Students' Association Manipur (ANSAM) would response to its appeal to call off the indefinite economic blockade and indicated that the government was open to talks.

Manipur-based All Manipur Christian Union (AMCU) would also be meeting civil society organizations in Nagaland soon in connection with the economic blockade along the National Highways 39 (Imphal-Dimapur) and 53 (Imphal-Jiribam) by some Naga organizations, he told reporters.

ANSAM had launched the economic blockade on the two highways to protest government's plan to hold elections to autonomous district councils in Manipur hills.

Biren said there was no lack of initiative on the part of the government in arriving at a solution.

Alternative solutions such as airlifting of life-saving drugs and rice were necessary in view of the shortage of drugs in hospitals, he said.

The sources said life saving drugs, medicines and oxygen which were urgently required in major hospitals like Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital and J N Hospital have been supplied for conducting emergency operations.

Eight MT of life saving drugs and 70 quintals of rice have so far been airlifted from Guwahati and more would be airlifted today, the sources said.

Food and Civil Supply Commissioner P Vaiphei said there was now a stock of 7683 metric tones of rice and it would last for a month.

Airlifting of rice from Guwahati was to show to the people that, if necessary, the government could airlift any essential item in spite of road blockade, he said.

The sources said the airlifted rice has been handed over to deputy commissioner (Imphal west). It would be distributed to the public at various places, including crowded Khwairamband market complex at the rate of Rs 18.85 per kg.