The All Kwakta Coordinating Committee (AKCC) has called off the 48-hour total shutdown that witnessed violent incidents on Monday.
The decision to call off the total shutdown was announced following a meeting of various stakeholders held on Tuesday at the residence of MLA Moirang AC regarding the Kwata water supply scheme. The Moirang AC MLA, members of all Kwakta Coordinating Committee, chairperson and councillors of Kwakta Municipal Council, members and leaders of Kwakta Gram Panchayat and executive engineer, PHED Bishnupur took part in the meeting, a release stated.
The release stated that the meeting resolved to release protesters and confiscated items without any conditions and decided on a joint field visit to the proposed scheme site on December 9, 9 am.
It also agreed on inspection of existing facilities, infrastructures to make it functional to provide raw water to the people until the launching of the proposed project. The PHED and the concerned MLA also assured responsibility of dealing with Hill Chiefs for uninterrupted water supply, the release added.
The shutdown that started at 5 am Monday affected normal life in areas along Tiddim road and three police personnel and seven protesters, including one woman, sustained injuries during the protest.
Bandh supporters on Monday blocked National Highway-105 (Tiddim road) since early morning by burning tyres and putting wood logs and others. When the police tried to disperse the protesters, a confrontation took place.
To control the situation, police fired several rounds of tear gas shells and the protesters retaliated by pelting stones and firing catapults.
The committee had earlier raised the issue of non-functioning of drinking water facilities in the area. It stated that though the state government had introduced water supply schemes for the area in order to provide drinking water, the facilities are defunct in the area since long.
