CM Biren says no to general strikes and blockade in Sangai Festival season

Pothashang News Service: Imphal, November 15, 2018: Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh has appealed all not to call bandh, general strike or blockades in any part of the stateduring and ahead of the 10-day Manipur Sangai Festival that would begin on November 21.

Biren said it is time to show hospitality to visitors as host and we should avoid anything that would discourage the visitor in the upcoming tourism festival.

Princess of Thailand, US Ambassador to India and two chief ministers from Myanmar and would grace the festival. About 140 stalls of different foreign firms, mostly from Korea, China, Thailand and Myanmar will be opened, said Biren.

He also appealed the All Manipur Public Health Engineering Department Die-In-Harness Appointment Demand Committee Manipur to withdraw its 24-hour general strike that was scheduled to begin at 6 pm today.

The general strike was imposed in Manipur demanding to recruit kin of departed employees to recruit under dies-in harness scheme.

The chief minister was talking to reporters on the sideline of the Meeyamgi Numit (people’s day) and Hill Leaders’ Day held at the chief minister secretariat complex, here on Thursday.

Biren said he would personally receive the Princess of Thailand at the airport on November 27, with a grand reception with colourful cultural presentations of different communities.

Saying that strict traffic rules would be strictly enforced to maintain order, Biren urged the public to extend co-operation to the authority when traffic rule violators including driving without seat-belt and helmet are penalised.

Beautification of Imphal city is currently underway in war footing. Efforts are being put in to make traffic lights functional in 4-5 places out of 8 junctions in Imphal before the commencement of the festival.

Sangai Run would be organised at Keibul Lamjao, Mao and Imphal as part of the festival, said the chief minister.

On the joint Meeyamgi Numit and Hill Leaders’ Day the chief minister received around 400 complaints and personally met around 1200 people.