IMPHAL, Nov 28 NNN : The newly revived All Tribal Students\u2019 Union, Manipur (ATSUM) has apprised the government of Manipur to address issues pertaining to tribal people of Manipur and the hill districts.
\nThe apex tribal students\u2019 body of Manipur in its lengthy memorandum submitted to the chief minister of Manipur yesterday has demanded Manipur State Commission for the Scheduled Tribes. ATSUM also demanded for the setting up of B.Ed centres in the hill districts. It also demanded that adequate teaching and non-teaching staff in the education institutions in the hill districts with better infrastructure.
\nSigned by its president Maun Tombing and its general secretary Vareiyo Shatsang, ATSUM in its memorandum said, \u201cIt has been our long standing aspiration to find a State Commission of
\nthe Scheduled Tribes in Manipur under the Article 338A of the Indian Constitution which would usher in all round Development and progress in respect of thee Tribal people in this eastern most part of the Indian Union. The National Commission for Scheduled Tribes which came in to force on 19th February, 2004 has failed to provide adequate service to the state of Manipur a it is based on the distant centre in Shillong\u201d.
\nAccording to the ATSUM memorandum, the state of Karnataka in 2002 had established the State Commission for SC\/ST under the name and style \u2018The Karnataka State Commission for Scheduled Tribes Act, 2002\u2019. It said the tribal population is the second largest in the state of Manipur but the pace of development is rather too slow till today comparing to that of the non-tribal populace. There has been the Manipur state Commission for OBC which meant to safeguard the rights of the other backward classes, the ATSUM representation added.
\nIn the light of the above facts and circumstances, it is our earnest plea that the Manipur State Commission for the ST be set up in the earnest date, the tribal students\u2019 body stated.
\nATSUM then demanded for the setting up of B.Ed centres in hill districts of Manipur.
\n\u201cEven the HSLC examination centres are very often treated as temporary arrangement subject to omission and commission. It is demanded that B.Ed centres be set up in all the five hill districts where TET can be conducted,\u201d the tribal students\u2019 body demanded.
\nThe memorandum of ATSUM also mentioned that the crisis in the newly set up Indra Gandhi National Tribal University (IGNTU) Regional Compus in Manipur is put to a situation of breaking down totally because all the required infrastructures and issues have not been properly attended to by the authorities concerned. \u201cThere is no end to the students\u2019 agitations against many lapses in the University. Xerox copy of the MoU signed between students and the vice chancellor is enclosed herewith for kind perusal. It is our earnest plea for your urgent intervention before things turn from bad to worse,\u201d ATSUM note cautions.
\nOne point of the ATSUM memorandum said, \u201cWe demand adequate number of both teaching and non-teaching staff in the educational institutions in the hill areas of Manipur state. We also demand that proper infrastructures for the educational institutions in the five hill districts be provided promptly as to facilitate smooth functioning.<\/p>\n\n