Zeliangrong Youth Front demands MST service in Tamenglong district, complaints Govt’s negligence

Dimapur, June 26 (EMN): Zeliangrong Youth Front (ZYF) through its President, Titus Kamei stated that the state government assurance and commitment to bring the people who are living in the interior and far flung areas closer with the other people of the state has been materialised and translated into action by reviving the Manipur State Transport (MST) system by way of launching bus service from Pherzawl to Imphal on Sunday, the first phase by connecting the other destinations which really deserves appreciation’.

The ZYF had submitted a memorandum on 10th June, 2017 to Chief Minister of Manipur N B Singh demanding to provide MST system for all the sub-divisions on top priority for the people of Tamenglong district since the people of the district have been facing many difficulties and extreme hardships especially transportation sector, release stated.

ZYF said, ‘the suffering of the people compounded since the discontinuation of earlier Manipur State Road Transport Corporation (MSRTC) system which was twenty years ago. The present trend of passenger service system provided by private vehicle’s operators without considering the extreme financial hardships which charged exorbitant and intolerable amount as travelling fares has compounded the suffering of the people in addition to the district being lagging behind in all fronts therefore, providing MST system by the government for the people of the district at the earliest will eradicate the suffering of the people on transportation sector’.

ZYF President further said ‘it is worthwhile to note that the local MLA and Deputy Commissioner, Tamenglong once provided a shaktiman tata truck three-four years ago for the people of Tousem sub-division in order to utilize the truck by the people of the sub-division in all require purposes at least to minimize their extreme suffering.

The Tousem sub-division is located about 200 Km distance away from Imphal. The people of Tousem sub-division are presently connected to Imphal by way of foot walking for the whole day from early morning to till late evening to reach Tamenglong District HQ and to take taxi passenger service from the Tamenglong District HQ on the next day thereby wasting two precious days to reach Imphal. The other option is to take foot walking for 54Km to reach Kaiphundai village located on the NH No. 37. So as to board passenger service vehicles bound between Imphal-Jiribam.

The people of Tousem sub-division most of the time fail to get opportunity to board the passenger service vehicles bound between Imphal-Jiribam since most of the seats are fully occupied with no space to accommodate mid-way new passengers thereby compelled them to travel down to Jiribam from Kaiphundai village in order to board Imphal-Jiribam taxi service the next day which gave extra burden with incurring unnecessary expenditures.

The sub-division was first connected somewhere in late 70s but completely neglected ZYF said.

‘Many precious lives had lost without getting medical attention due to extreme neglect by the government in the past. This being the real situation for the people of Tamenglong district especially for the people Tousem sub-division who are living at the far flung and interior areas, it is the bounden duty and unavoidable responsibility on the part of the State government to provide or arrange transportation system on top priority basis.

The Zeliangrong Youth Front urged the state government to consider the case of Tamenglong district on top priority by inclusion of Tamenglong district in the next phase for MST system in order to mitigate the suffering of the people and to enable the people to catch up with the rest of the people of the state.