The civil society organisations of Dimapur have vowed not to allow shifting of the Dimapur commissioner’s office in part or as a whole from the present location, saying the office is “logistically located”.
The decision to oppose the government’s decision to shift the DC office was taken at an emergency meeting of the civil societies on Wednesday.
The civil societies also called for a 12-hour total shutter down in Dimapur from 6 am on Thursday to express their resentment against the recent Nagaland government order for shifting of branches/cells from the present deputy commissioner’s office to the new deputy commissioner’s office complex at Chumukedima.
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Medical dealers, pharmacies, educational institutions, government and private offices and movement of pedestrians and vehicles will be exempted, the media cell of the Dimapur Civil Society Organisations said in a release on Wednesday.
The government in a September 7 order asked the Dimapur deputy commissioner to shift the district election office and disaster management cell to the new deputy commissioner’s office complex and make necessary arrangements for shifting of other branches at an early date.
In an ultimatum to the chief minister submitted through the Dimapur deputy commissioner on WEdnesday, the civil societies demanded that the government cancel its September 7 order and all other orders or notices with regard to shifting of the deputy commissioner’s office.
It also demanded the removal of “HQ: Chumukedima Camp: Dimapur” tag from the Dimapur deputy commissioner’s letterhead within five days with effect from September 29.
The ultimatum said the government issued the order despite repeated representations against shifting of the deputy commissioner’s office elsewhere.
“In the event of such forceful move leading to unwanted incidents, the civil societies and their affiliated bodies should not be held responsible,” the ultimatum said.
It pointed out that the present deputy commissioner’s office is located in a cadastral land, meaning it is an urban area.
Shifting it would entail tremendous hardship to the citizens of Dimapur as more than 50 percent of Dimapur district’s population live under the Dimapur Sadar sub-division, the ultimatum stated.
It added that there is a clear apprehension of tension leading to unrest if the government goes ahead with the decision to shift the district headquarters elsewhere.