Aizawl: As Mizoram awaits relief from the Centre, the state government has started a fund-raising campaign to provide relief to over 12,200 people from strife-torn Manipur, according to a senior official from the state home department, on Thursday.
The official said that the state government has issued a notice seeking donations from ministers, legislators, employees of Central and state governments, corporators of Aizawl Municipal Council and bankers since Tuesday.
Security forces like the Assam Rifles, Indian Army and Border Security Force (BSF) would also be requested to donate for relief, he said.
As per the official, like-minded donors are requested to contribute to the state disaster management and rehabilitation directorate’s bank account number for any amount as they see fit.
He said that the Centre has not yet provided any assistance even over a month after the state sought relief package for the internally displaced people, who have been taking shelter in the state after ethnic violence broke out in Manipur on May 3.
In May, chief minister Zoramthanga had asked the Centre to provide Rs. 10 crore as a relief package for the internally displaced people.
The official said that the government has not received “any word” from the Centre even after the state delegation led by sports minister Robert Romawia Royte met Union Home Secretary Ajay Kumar Bhalla last month.
The state government has also not received any communication from its counterpart in Manipur regarding its residents taking shelter in the conflict-torn state.
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He alleged that Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh had expressed concern only for the safety of the Meitei community in Mizoram and not for the displaced people during a telephonic conversation with CM Zoramthanga recently.
According to the state home department, at least 12,280 people from Manipur has taken shelter in Mizoram. The northeastern state also hosts over 35,000 refugees from coup-hit Myanmar and Bangladesh.
Also read: Is northeast India united in its opposition to Uniform Civil Code?