Kohima, Jan 6 (PTI) The Yimkhiung Tribal Council (YTC) in Nagaland intensified its agitation on Thursday demanding declaration of Shamator as a district.
Shamator is currently a subdivision in Tuensang district.
On Thursday, the council members held a rally at Shamator town with people from all age groups, including women, holding placards and banners, raising slogans and singing songs in their dialect reminding the government of its assurance to the people.
As part of its intensified agitation, the YTC has indefinitely banned the visits of government officials, researchers, and tourists, both domestic and international, to Fakim Wildlife Sanctuary, Mt Saramati, and stone caves at Mimi and Salomi, which fall under Shamator.
The council has also decided to shut down the Likimro Hydroelectric Project (LHEP) at Pungro indefinitely.
The apex body of the Yimkhuing tribe has been holding peaceful protest rallies for three hours from 9 am to 12 noon daily since Monday in areas falling under its command to show resentment to the failure of the Nagaland government to deliver full-fledged district status to Shamator which had been assured by the government, YTC general secretary S Tsuyihba said.
Meanwhile, Additional Deputy Commissioner of Pungro, Abhinav Shivam, said the LHEP is a national asset and its obstruction will affect the people.
The ADC also directed the YTC to immediately lift the shutdown.
However, responding to the ADC’s letter, the council said that the YTC initiated the action of launching an indefinite public agitation due to the lackadaisical attitude of the state government towards the Yimkhiung community by giving them false assurance which has deeply hurt the sentiments of the Yimkhiung people.
It also iterated that the LHEP shutdown will continue indefinitely till justice was delivered.
Meanwhile, the YTC has suspended its earlier notification recalling members of the tribe from the ruling Nationalist Democratic Progressive Party (NDPP), and Shamator-Chessore MLA S Keoshu till Friday.
The decision was taken based on Keoshu’s communication to the YTC executive chairman that a state Cabinet meeting is scheduled to be held on Friday.
However, YTC vice president H Hanji said that in the event of the state government’s failure to consider the demand for the creation of Shamator district by Friday, the earlier decision would be reinforced from January 8.
The state government while creating three new districts Tseminyu, Niuland, and Chumukedima on December 18 had also agreed in principle to grant the status of a district to Shamator.
However, the Nagaland government was of the view that the up-gradation of Shamator into a full-fledged district would be done only after the two communities in the area Yimkhiung and Tikhir come to a proper understanding and remain united.