The Zomi Student Federation (ZSF) on Wednesday reiterated its stand that it would oppose tooth and nail the decision to shift the medical college from Mata Village in Churachandpur district.
During a press conference at Gouchinkhup Veng, New Lamka, general secretary of Zomi Student Federation Samuel Khaiminlun Taithul said that they had already submitted a memorandum to the union home minister, opposing shifting of the medical college site.
The memorandum was signed by the chief of Mata village, Zomi Chief Association, Zomi Youth Association, Zomi Mother Association, Zomi Student Federation, Vaiphei Chief Association of Haopi range where they asked the home minister not to change the site as rumours are doing the round that it will be shifted from Mata Village to K Mongzang village, Churachandpur, after the foundation stone was laid, Samuel informed.
The ZSF leader also said that they had come to know that the minister of health, during his visit to Churachandpur on June 11, had visited the proposed new site at K Mongjang village. On being asked, the minister replied that the tender process to the approach road to the new medical college site was already awarded to Keystone Infra Private Limited, the work for which had already begun and is almost 50 per cent complete, Samuel informed.
Chief of Mata Village, Lallunkap, under whose jurisdiction the new medical college will be built, said that the people of the area as well as the district were so happy that the new Medical College will be located at Mata village. Even the villagers and adjoining village had been donating days, working for land development in the site, the chief said and warned that if the site has been actually shifted to another place, they will start an open protest.
It may be worth mentioning that the out of the 75 new medical colleges to be opened by the GoI, the state cabinet, on September 15, 2020, approved that one will be located at Mata village, Churachandpur where 25 acres of land was donated by Vungzamuan Valte while the actual specification was 23 acres. Then, on December 27, 2020, Home Minister Amit Shah laid the foundation stone through a virtual programme.
The development comes after the state government prepared to inaugurate the new medical college and start classes under its 100 days achievement programme at the temporary location in Churachandpur District Hospital campus.
When the progress of work is recommendable, we are shocked at how the health minister, June 11, 2022, visited an alternative location at K Mongjang village without valid ground and justification. We fail to understate why a government’s concrete decision on a national project, having national importance, be shifted/reversed with the influence of personal and communal calculation, asked the signatory of the joint memorandum.
