Imphal: The Manipur government has directed all concerned departments and senior district officials to complete the transfer of Thanlon Sub-Division from Pherzawl district back to Churachandpur district within seven days.
In an order issued on July 29, Secretary (Land Resources) Th. Kirankumar instructed the authorities to implement the administrative transfer and submit a compliance report within a week.
The move revives a long-standing dispute over the administrative status of Thanlon, with Zomi organisations welcoming the decision while several groups in Pherzawl continuing to oppose it.
Thanlon was brought under the newly created Pherzawl district following the state’s reorganisation of districts in December 2016. However, the Manipur government issued an order in 2022 proposing to restore the subdivision to Churachandpur, a decision that has remained a contentious issue.
Zomi organisations have consistently argued that Thanlon, a Zomi-majority Assembly constituency, should be part of Churachandpur district. They contend that its inclusion in Hmar-majority Pherzawl has adversely affected the community’s administrative and political interests.
Earlier this year, the Zomi Village Chiefs’ Association announced a total boycott of the Pherzawl district administration, demanding immediate implementation of the 2022 government order transferring Thanlon back to Churachandpur.
The proposed transfer, however, has faced strong opposition from a section of residents in Pherzawl. Ahead of the government’s consultation process in 2021, representatives of 22 villages under the banner of the Pherzawl District Development Committee submitted formal objections, expressing their preference to remain under Pherzawl district.
The objecting groups argued that retaining Thanlon within Pherzawl would ensure administrative convenience and preserve long-standing social and cultural ties. They have also described the proposed transfer as politically motivated.
The issue has remained a sensitive administrative and political matter in the hill districts, with the government’s requirement of securing support from at least 75 per cent of the affected villages continuing to be a key factor in the implementation process.