Imphal (IANS) | Information and Public Relations and Health Minister S. Ranjan said here on Sunday that more than 50,650 men, women and children displaced by ethnic violence in Manipur have been given shelter in 350 camps. The minister said district and cluster nodal officers have been deputed to look after the relief centers set up in more than 10 districts in Manipur, where 105 people have died and over 320 have been injured in the devastating caste violence since May 3. .
He said that special relief centers have been opened for pregnant women and special care is also being taken for lactating mothers, old persons and children.
Ranjan said goods and essential commodities were being brought through southern Assam through the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway. So far, 2,376 trucks carrying 35,000 tonnes of construction material, fuel and essential commodities have arrived in the state.
The state government is making efforts to activate the Khongsang railway station within the next 10 days for convenient transportation of essential commodities. The minister said that helicopter services have already been started from Moreh-Imphal, Imphal-Churachandpur and Imphal-Kangpokpi.
Various Kuki tribal organizations continue to block the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Manipur, causing serious problems to the transportation of essential commodities, food grains, transportation fuel and life-saving medicines.
Though the state government with security escorts is trying to bring various essential commodities from different parts of the country through the Imphal-Jiribam National Highway (NH-37), but NH-2 (via Nagaland) is the lifeline of Manipur. It is believed.
Ranjan, who is also the government spokesperson, said that a total of 990 arms and 13,526 rounds of ammunition have been handed over to the government so far. The minister said, combing operations have been continued in all districts, especially sensitive areas, by the Army and other central and state forces to nab militants and miscreants.
Media reports claimed that after the riots broke out on 3 May, mobs and miscreants looted thousands of different types of arms and large quantities of ammunition from several police stations and security camps.
Noting that the education roadmap for the affected students is being prepared by the government, the minister said that the details of the government’s plan will be announced soon by the concerned education minister. With regard to the banking sector, out of 242 branches, 198 bank branches have been made operational so far, and the remaining will be made functional at the earliest.
Ranjan said that price control mechanism has been implemented to check the rise in prices of essential commodities.
–IANS
