Mizoram seeks Rs 10 crore from Centre for displaced people from Manipur

AIZWAL, Jun 17: The Mizoram government has urged the Centre to expedite the release of relief to over 11,000 internally displaced people from violence-hit Manipur, an official statement said.

The state government has sought Rs 10 crore as immediate relief for the displaced people, who are taking shelter in different parts of the state since ethnic violence broke out in the neighbouring state on May 3.

Tourism minister Robert Romawia Royte, who was delegated by the state government, on Friday called on Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla in Delhi and urged him to sanction the money at the earliest, the statement said.

Bhalla on his part told Royte that the Centre will soon sanction the relief package, it said.

During the meeting, Royte informed Bhalla that more than 11,000 people from Manipur mostly, women, children and old persons, are currently taking shelter in Mizoram due to the ethnic violence.

The state government, NGOs and churches are providing shelter and food to the displaced people, he said.

Citing that Mizoram is in dire need of the Centre’s help, Royte said that the state government could face a crisis if relief is not provided to the displaced people.

He urged the Centre to take measures for the restoration of peace in Manipur citing that the recent incident has clearly manifested that the state is yet to limp back to normalcy.

According to the state home department, altogether 11,503 people fleeing ethnic violence in Manipur have entered Mizoram till Friday.

Of this, 8,634 people live outside the relief camps, while 2,869 people have lodged in 35 relief camps set up by the government and villages, it said.

Assam border Kolasib district currently hosts the highest number of displaced people at 4,109, followed by Aizawl district-3,825 and Saitual district at 2,809, it said.

The displaced people, who belonged to the Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo group, took shelter in all 11 districts of the state.

The Kuki-Hmar-Zomi-Mizo community, collectively known as Kukis, share ethnic ties with the Mizos.

Two of Mizoram’s districts- Aizawl and Saitual share a more than 90 km long border with Manipur’s Churachandpur and Pherzawl districts.