Our Correspondent
Imphal, July 24(EMN): Manipur Chief Minister Nongthombam Biren Singh on Monday informed the ongoing assembly that the state government is actively working for the reintroduction of the state transport services in the remaining hill districts.
Responding to a question on state transport services, Singh said that the state transport department has earmarked around Rs. 11 crores for the regular transport services under Manipur State Transport (MST) in the state.
Clarifying that it was not as state corporation, Singh said in a written reply to opposition member O Henry’s question, “Government of Manipur made a humble beginning towards providing an affordable, safe, comfortable, reliable road transport by reviving the public transport system and establishing the Manipur state transport (MST) and consequently it was launched on June 25.”
He said that presently 15 buses are plying under MST including 11 inter-district bus service and 4 buses for the ring round city bus services. He also added that MST was exclusively run by the transport department, but efforts were made to invite and active participation from private operators at the larger stage when an acceptable modality gets finalised.
Reacting to another question raised by opposition member Kh Joykisan, chief minister informed that the state government has a plan to establish highway protection force for the national highways of the state.
State forest and environment minister Th Shyamkumar Singh informed that the total area of reserve forest in the state were 984.25 sq km including 338.32 sq km in churachandpur district and 0.09 sq km in Bishnupur district. With area coverage of 253.89 sq km across its 8 RF areas, Senapati district has the second highest RF areas coverage among all the hill districts of the state while Chandel district has 3 RFs measuring 141.86 sq km. This was shared by the state forest and environment Minister Thounaojam Shyamkumar in a written reply to a question by opposition member K Meghachandra of congress party in the ongoing assembly session on Monday.
Minister also informed that people cannot construct houses and settle in these reserve forest areas.
Stating the eviction notice have been served to the encroachers, Minister admitted that a total of 85 encroachers including 53 from Heingang reserve forest and 32 from Langol reserve forest have been evicted. Reacting to another question by opposition member Kh Joykisan, chief minister informed that the state government has a plan to establish highway protection force for the national highways of the state “as and when approval from the concerned ministry is received” by raising the Indian Reserve Battalions.
