Our Correspondent
Imphal, August 25 (EMN): Manipur Health Minister Langpoklakpam Jayentakumar on Friday said a massive awareness was required to deal with the mosquito-borne illnesses such as Japanese Encephalitis (JE) as the state health department currently has no long term plan programmes.
He said the remedial measure to prevent from such diseases was to avoid from mosquito bites. For this the state health department has been providing necessary assistance including medicines etc to the needy localities from time to time on their request,” Minister said. However the report of detection of JE in the state as of now is almost nil, he said.
The report of detection of mosquito-borne illnesses among the villagers of a small hamlet Henglep sub-division in Manipur’s Churachandpur district after the recent flood in Manipur had even rocked the Manipur state assembly session which concludes on 4 of August, he added.
On the other hand minister Jayantakumar who also holds the art & culture portfolio expressed the need to maintain the cultural relationship between Manipur and Tripura especially with those Manipuri in Tripura. Minister’s comment came out after he visited Agartala to attend Tripura-Manipur socio-cultural meet on August 20-21.
Appreciating the effort for preserving the cultural identities, he said that the cultural affinity and chronological attachment between the Tripura Manipuri and the state can’t be ignored. Sharing the experience of his maiden visit to Agartala after becoming Manipur’s arts and culture Minister, he expressed his desire to take up the proposals for renovation and up-gradation of the existing Ibudhou Puthiba Shanglen and Major Chongthamia Ningsing Khubham premises at Agartala.
Informing that the state arts and culture department will provide Rs 1.5 lakh as financial assistance for Ibudhou Puthiba festival as an initiative to promote Manipuri Art & Culture, he also assured necessary help for the Tripura Manipuri Sahitya Parishad.
He however said that the proposal for the construction of a Guest House at Agartala will be considered in consultation with the Chief Minister N Biren Singh. Regarding the proposal for installation of a statue of Major Chongthamiya considering his sacrificial spirit during Anglo-British war, he also advised members of the memorial trust to take up necessary steps. Major Chongthamiya (1841-1908) breathed his last in Naran Kharan village, Tripura after he was exiled by British from Manipur.
