Normal life in Manipur’s Imphal East district came to a halt on Saturday during the 36-hour statewide bandh called by the Joint Action Committee. The Joint Action Committee was formed against shifting of the district hospital from Sagolmang area to another location in Imphal East district.
Normal life along the key national and state highways in the state including Imphal-Ukhrul and Imphal-Saikul routes was thrown out of gear due to the bandh.
The bandh which had begun from 5 on Saturday morning severely affected normal traffic along all routes which passes through Khundrakpam constituency in Manipur’s Imphal East district.
Educational institutions and business establishments in the assembly constituency remained closed for the day. However, there is no report of any unwanted incident during the day’s bandh except the blocking of roads by burning of tyres and putting stones, timber and logs on the roads.
Since early morning large number of strike supporters mostly women folks came out on the roads and enforced the bandh by preventing the vehicular movements at various locations of the state highways at Khurai heikhru makhomg area.
Though the strike was total in the Khundrakpam area, it could not affect the normal life in the other parts of the state including the state capital and Khwairamband Keithel areas.
It may be mentioned that civil body organizations of Saikul Gamkai under the aegis of Kuki Inpi Saikul Gamkai extended its support to Sagolmang JAC’s 36-hour strike.
On May 4, a protest demonstration was staged by people belonging to different communities against the government’s decision to shift Imphal East District Hospital from Sagolmang to other location. The protestors demanded resignation of Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar.
However Health and Family Welfare Minister L Jayantakumar Singh said there is no personal intention for shifting the site for the construction of district hospital in Imphal East.
Clarifying against the charges, minister Jayantakumar said the government has to opt for the second option because there is land dispute over the construction site of district hospital at Sagolmang.
He also appealed the people of Khundrakpam to cooperate with the initiatives of the government.
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