Manipur procures small fire tenders for congested lanes — Biren Singh

Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh on Saturday said small fire tenders have been procured for use in congested lanes and localities as part of the modernisation efforts under Fire Protection and Control.

Foam and CO2 fire extinguishers have also been procured while an INR 93 crore project proposal has been submitted as a part of Fire Protection and Control modernisation, he said.

Biren Singh was giving reply to questions by opposition Congress MLAs K Ranjit Singh(Sugunu), Th Lokeshwar Singh(Khundrakpam) and Surjakumar Okram (Khangabok)during demand discussions in the ensuing 12th Manipur Legislative Assembly session. The cut motions of the opposition legislators were later withdrawn and passed in the House.

Informing that the morale of the Manipur Police has been greatly improved during the past five years, he said the relationship between police and public is also significantly improved. Highway patrolling has been undertaken; border police outposts have been opened at several key locations. Most of the police personnel have started to take up regular morning physical exercises. Required equipment has also been provided, he added.

On border pillar and border fencing, Singh clarified that with the help of satellite mapping a maximum number of border disputes has been settled. Except for the construction work for border wall fencing for a stretch of about 350 metre near Kwatha village, the rest has all been settled, he said.

Singh also maintained that specialised teams have been constituted for effective implementation of the campaign covering poppy plantation and trafficking of illegal drugs. Several drug manufacturing units have been busted in the state. Increase in unaccounted villages and illegal immigrants are a major cause for mass cultivation of poppy in the state of Manipur. Two investors involved in poppy cultivation could be arrested while two drones- one for identifying poppy plantations and another for spraying of herbicides have been procured, Singh said.

Besides, various alternative livelihood options for poppy cultivators have also been arranged, he said, adding that alternative options should not be taken as a matter of right. He said the government will not compromise anything on the issue of the War on Drugs campaign.

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Manipur’s Imphal-Kangchup road 78% completed

Replying to questions, Works Minister Govindas Konthoujam informed that the government has inked agreements with different funding agencies like Asian Development Bank (ADB), World Bank, JIKA and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) for construction of new roads and other projects in the state. The construction of Imphal-Kangchup road is 78% completed and is targeted for completion by June 2023.

Construction of Imphal Ring Road is planned to be started by March 2023 with funding from ADB. Rigid pavements works of Manipur’s state capital-Imphal city roads will be started which will be later shifted to rural roads with funding from AIIB, he added.

Clarifying that the estimated sanction for the works programme for the year 2022-23 have already been provided, he said the government has intimated to the concerned authority for awarding works to local contractors on priority and their response is still pending.

Later, Leader of the House Biren Singh introduced three bills – The Manipur Properties and Open Places (Prevention of Defacement and Disfigurement) Bill, 2023 (Bill No. 1 of 2023),The Kaina Temple Board Bill, 2023 (Bill No. 4 of 2023) and The Manipur Value added Tax (Third Amendment  Bill, 2023 (Bill No. 5 of 2023).

Ministers Th Basanta Kumar Singh(Education) and Y Khemchand (Urban Development)also introduced “The Dhanamanjuri University (Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Bill No. 6 of 2023) and “The Manipur Town and Country Planning (Fifth Amendment) Bill, 2023 (Bill no. 7 of 2023) respectively.