Plans worked out for ADC polls : Letpao

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Mar 17 : Tribal Affairs and Hills Minister Letpao Haokip has stated that the Government has worked out a plan to hold the Autonomous District Council (ADC) election.
Speaking to a few media persons today, Letpao said that the Cabinet meeting held yesterday evening with Chief Minister N Biren in the chair deliberated at length on holding ADC election.
There is no question of the N Biren Government of seeing or treating the hills and the valley differently, he said.
Clarifying to the comments that the no date has been fixed yet for the ADC election while schedules have been announced for urban local body and Panchayat elections, the TA& Hills Minister said that the ongoing delimitation work of ADC constituencies is almost complete and the necessary gazette notification would be published once the process is fully completed.
A week’s time would be given to file claims and objections. Further, 45 working days would be given for the State election office to mobilise polling personnel, security, vehicles and other logistics, he said.
The Government has already worked out a complete plan to hold the ADC election definitely, he asserted.
It is not right to keep the ADC election at bay just because cases are pending at Courts with regard to certain ADCs. Elections would be held for those ADCs which are free of Court cases while those entangled in legal battles would be left out for the time being, Letpao Haokip said.
The Cabinet meeting held yesterday also deliberated on construction of Imphal Ring Road and improvement of traffic junctions of Imphal city.
For the first time in the State, roads of Imphal city would be constructed with cement and concrete or rigid pavement,  he said. Roads constructed with rigid pavement are far more durable than those constructed with stones and bitumen. Around 70 per cent of Imphal Ring Road would be constructed with rigid pavement and its expected life span is 70 years, he continued.
The Ministry concerned has already secured a loan of Rs 1660 crore from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for construction of Imphal Ring Road. The State Cabinet has already given its consent to hold tender for the same project, Letpao said.
The Cabinet meeting held yesterday also gave approval to the ‘Rejuvenation of Lamphelpat water body to alleviate urban flooding, providing sustainable water sources for Imphal city and promoting eco-tourism project’.
After Rs 650 crore was sanctioned for the same project, due tender process has been initiated, he said.
The New Development Bank (NDB) has sanctioned Rs 1255.84 crore for implementing Integrated Sewerage System for Imphal City Phase-2.
The State Cabinet has already adopted a resolution to start executing the project under PHED at the earliest .
For improvement of roads in the State, the ADB has sanctioned a loan of Rs 33.75 crore. PWD would initiate the necessary process soon, Letpao said.
The Cabinet meeting also adopted another resolution to dig a big public pond at Malom area and its water would be drawn through Loktak lift irrigation facility. There are three pump-houses of Loktak Lift Irrigation which are fully operational and these pumps would be used in drawing water for distribution to the public. Letpao added.