The first meeting of the state chief secretary-headed Committee on Reorganization of Administrative and Police Boundaries (CRAPB) was convened on Thursday last to seek people's comments and opinion on remapping of district boundaries.
Chief minister Okram Ibobi Singh recently promised the agitating Sadar Hills District Demand Committee (SHDDC) that a final decision on creation of the Sadar Hills district would be made after the CRAPB submits its report in three months.
This came after the SHDDC intensified its economic blockade on National Highways 39 and 53 demanding creation of the district and the United Naga Council (UNC)'s counter blockade denouncing the state government's alleged attempt to bifurcate Naga-dominated areas to create new districts in Manipur.
Sixteen civil bodies representing different communities submitted a memorandum to the chief minister a couple of days ago, requesting him not to carry out the district re-organization exercise on the basis of community, religion or language.
Pointing out that no part of Manipur, which has over 2,000-year-old written chronicles, is indivisible, the memorandum appealed for introduction of a uniform land law and land reform act that would be applicable all over the state. The memo urged the fixing of a tentative maximum limit for the number of districts that may exist in Manipur after due consideration to its geographical area.
While appealing to institute a mechanism to insulate common people from the hardships caused by the protracted economic blockade on the national highways, the memo said sectarian agitation by any community should not cause violation of the fundamental rights of other people.
Stating that Manipur is inhabited by around 30 different communities, with many smaller communities not being represented in the state assembly, the memorandum also appealed for establishment of a 'Manipur legislative council' where numerically smaller communities could be accommodated in the law-making institution.
The civil bodies suggested holding a referendum for taking the opinions of the villages inhabited by minor communities that will be affected at the time of district reorganization.