Manipur violence: Over 50,650 displaced people living in 350 relief camps

IMPHAL: Over 50,650 men, women, and children, displaced in Manipur's ethnic violence were sheltered in 350 camps, Information and Public Relations and Health Minister S. Ranjan said here on Sunday.

The Minister said that district and cluster nodal officers have been deputed to take care and look after the relief centers set up in more than 10 districts in Manipur, which witnessed devastating ethnic violence since May 3 killing 105 people and injuring over 320.

He said that relief centers have also been opened specially for pregnant women and special care has also been taken up for lactating mothers, aged persons, and children.

Ranjan stated that goods and essential commodities are being brought through Imphal-Jiribam National Highway via southern Assam and so far 2,376 trucks loaded with 35,000 metric tons of construction materials, fuels, and essential commodities have been brought into the State.

The State government is trying to make Khongsang railway station activated within the next 10 days for convenient transportation of essential items. Helicopter services from Moreh-Imphal, Imphal-Churachandpur, and Imphal-Kangpokpi have already been started, the Minister added.

Various Kuki tribal organisations continue to block the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Manipur, creating a serious problem of transporting essentials, food grains, transport fuel, and life-saving drugs.

Though the state government with security escorts has been trying to ferry various essentials from different parts of the country through the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37), the NH-2 (via Nagaland) is considered as the lifeline for Manipur.

Ranjan, who is also the spokesman of the government, said that so far a total of 990 arms and 13,526 ammunition have been surrendered to the government. "Combing operations have been continued by the Army and other central and state forces in all districts, particularly in vulnerable areas, to nab the militants and miscreants," said the minister.

Media reports claimed that thousands of different types of arms and a large quantity of ammunition were looted by mobs and miscreants from many police stations and security camps after the riots broke out on May 3.

Noting that the roadmap of education for the affected students are being chalked out by the government, the minister said that the details of the government plan would be announced soon by the Education Minister concerned very shortly. Regarding the banking sector, out of the 242 branches, 198 bank branches are made operational as of now, and the rest will be made functional at the earliest, he stated.

Ranjan said that a price control mechanism is put into force to check the price rise of essential commodities.