New Delhi, Aug. 25: An all-party delegation from Assam today called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding that the floods and erosion in the state be declared a national problem.
In a memorandum submitted to Singh, the delegates highlighted the extent of devastation caused by floods and underscored the necessity of ushering in long-term measures to stem the menace. State Assembly speaker Prithvi Majhi led the delegation comprising ministers Hema Prabha Saikia, Ripun Bora and Bharat Narah besides legislators from other parties.
“The Prime Minister gave us a patient hearing and assured that he would go into the details of the twin issues. We are hopeful of a positive outcome,” Majhi said after the meeting in Parliament that lasted 15 minutes.
Today’s meeting was the follow-up of a resolution adopted in the state Assembly on August 5 asking an all-party delegation to approach the Prime Minister on the issue.
Legislators belonging to the Tai-Ahom, Koch-Rajbongshi, tea tribes, Chutiya, Matak and Moran communities, who were part of the team, submitted a separate memorandum to Singh urging him to expedite the process for granting Scheduled Tribe status to these communities.
Granting this status to any community involves an elaborate procedure that requires sanctions of the state government, the Scheduled Tribe Commission, the Registrar General of India and the Tribal Research Institute in the state. After getting the sanctions, a bill can be tabled in Parliament.
The Tarun Gogoi government has already decided to recommend to Delhi the inclusion of these six communities in the category.
In a related development, a delegation of the Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council has urged the Prime Minister for implementation of Article 244 of the Constitution that would ensure autonomy to the hill district.
The delegation submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister last evening and Union home minister Shivraj Patil today.
“We are seeking something which is permissible under the provisions of the Constitution. We have firm faith in the UPA government and we commit ourselves to working for its success,” the memorandum said.
