Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh urged people not to resort to bandhs and blockades while inaugurating three bridges in Imphal West district.
Imphal, May 22: Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh on Friday appealed to the people not to resort to bandhs, blockades or shutdowns even if they have resentment against the government, stating that such actions mainly affect daily wage earners and labourers. The Chief Minister made the appeal while inaugurating three bridges — Akham Bridge, Salam Bridge and Maklang Bridge — under the Lamsang Assembly Constituency in Imphal West district.
Addressing gatherings at the inauguration events, Khemchand Singh said grievances and disagreements should be resolved through dialogue and discussion rather than disruptive protests. He said he had been entrusted with the responsibility of rebuilding trust among different communities living in the state. According to him, one of the priorities of the government is to ensure that people from various communities can move freely and safely across each other’s areas.
Speaking at Akham village, the Chief Minister referred to his recent visits to Jiribam district, stating that he had travelled there twice — once by helicopter and later by road. During the visits, members of different communities including Hmar, Kuki, Paite and Meitei reportedly sat together and agreed to work collectively towards restoring peace in the district. He said the communities in Jiribam were gradually returning to their villages and living in harmony despite earlier tensions. The villages inhabited by Hmar and Kuki communities shared neighbourhoods with Meitei villages, he added.
The Chief Minister also mentioned the recent bomb blast incident at Tronglaobi village in Bishnupur district that killed two children. Calling it an unfortunate incident, he said the tragedy was not only a loss for Manipur or India but for humanity as a whole.
Responding to a memorandum submitted by a local club at Akham village seeking development projects, Shri Khemchand Singh assured that a new community hall would be constructed in consultation with the local MLA. He also informed that engineers from the Minor Irrigation Department had already inspected a proposed site for construction of a dam in the area.
Later at Maklang, the Chief Minister announced that the road connecting Patsoi Lamkhai to Manipur Olympian Park at Sangaithel would be developed before the next Assembly election. On the proposal for constructing a market shed for women vendors at Maklang, he said a Detailed Project Report (DPR) was currently being prepared and the project would be sanctioned after submission of the report. He also assured that the demand for establishing a Primary Health Centre in the area would be examined.
Praising women vendors of Manipur, the Chief Minister said the state was unique for having markets run exclusively by women. He lauded the women vendors of the Ima Market for supporting their families through the sale of vegetables and traditional garments.
The RCC bridge over the Nambul River at Akham Mayai Leikai was constructed at a cost of Rs. 3 crore under a state scheme. The bridge over the Maklang River was built under the Rural Infrastructure Development Fund scheme at a cost of around Rs. 2 crore, while the bridge over the Merakhong stream at Salam Mamang Leikai was also completed at an estimated cost of Rs. 2 crore. The inauguration programme was attended by S. Rajen Singh, Kh. Ibomcha Singh, officials of the Public Works Department, and local residents.
