Mizoram Govt Sets Up Panel to Deal With Displaced People From Manipur

AIZAWL: A committee comprising of high-level officials, headed by Home Minister Lalchamliana, has been set up by the Mizoram government to work with people internally displaced from violence-hit Manipur, an official from the home department said on Monday.

According to the Home department, Mizoram is providing shelter, in several places of the state, to a total of 9,501 people who entered the state from Manipur to escape the mayhem there.

Acting on the direction of Chief Minister Zoramthanga, a ‘high level committee on internally displaced Persons (IDPs) of Manipur in Mizoram’ was constituted on Sunday, the official said.

The committee, to be led by Lalchamliana, will address different issues concerning the internally displaced people from Manipur taking shelter here, he said.

While Lalchhandam Ralte, the Education minister, has been named as the vice chairman of the committee, H Lalengmawia- the home commissioner and secretary- has been appointed as the member secretary, it was informed.

The high- level committee will also include as members Information and Public Relation minister Lalruatkima, supply minister K Lalrinliana, tourism minister Robert Romawia Royte, officials of different departments, as well as representatives of Central Young Mizo Association (YMA), Mizoram Journalists’ Association (MJA) and Mizoram Kohhran Hruaitute Committee (MKHC), a committee of church leaders, the official said.

Some time back, an executive committee which was headed by the home secretary was formed by the state government deal with the people thus internally displaced.

In the meantime, it was informed by Lalchamliana at the meeting of the high level committee on Monday that more than 50,000 people from neighbouring Manipur, as well as Myanmar and Bangladesh are being provided shelter in the state at present.

It was decided at the meeting that profiling of the neighbouring state’s internally displaced people will be maintained.

Regular health examination of the displaced people will be conducted, it was also decided, in addition to measures to ascertain that the displaced undergraduate students would be able to continue their studies in Mizoram.

Last month, the Mizoram government had issued instruction to district education officials, so that displaced children could be allowed to enroll in schools run by the state.

So far, a total of 3 people from Manipur taking shelter in the state, which includes a minor and an infant, have died due to different ailments.

Moreover, a road accident near Saitual town also killed two persons while they were escaping from their native town of Churachandpur to Mizoram.

A total of 9,501 people from violence-hit Manipur are now taking shelter in 10 districts of Mizoram, according to the home department.

Kolasib district, on the Assam- Mizoram border, is currently providing shelter to the highest number of displaced people pegged at 3,481, followed by 3,157 in Aizawl district and 2,389 in Saitual district.

Champhai, Khawzawl, Serchhip, Mamit, Lunglei, Hnahthial and Siaha districts are sheltering the remaining number of 474 people, the department added.

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