Rio reviews situation in high-level meeting

Kohima, May 23 (UNI) To combat frequent factional violence and controle price hike of essential commodities, Nagaland Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio has ordered the district administrations to flush out all insurgents from the populated areas of the state by June 10 next.

This decision was taken by the chief minister at a high-level meeting convened at the State Secretariat here yesterday.

Official sources here today said the meeting was attended by State Home Minister Imkong L Imchen, Chief Secretary Lalhuma, senior bureaucrats of all concerned departments and all the Deputy Commissioners (DC) and Superintendents of Police (SP).

Mr Rio instructed the district administrations to implement the Standard Operational Procedure (SOP) of the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA). The meeting also decided to implement the SOP strictly by the police and security forces in dealing with the violation of the Cease-Fire Ground Rules (CFGR), agreed by the underground groups with the Government of India.

Maintaining that presently the law and order situation was under control in the state and much better in comparison to its neighbouring states of Assam and Manipur, Mr Rio said that it became necessary to prevent further clashes in the civilian areas.

''For that it is absolutely necessary to flush out all underground cadres from the civilian areas for the safety and security of the citizens,'' he said.

The DCs informed that the District Level Coordination Groups, as prescribed by the MHA, have been constituted in all the districts under the chairmanship of the DCs of police, paramilitary forces, the Army, tribal groups, NGOs and prominent public leaders as members of the committee to review and take steps when situation demanded.

On the issue of price rise of essential commodities, representatives from the Supply Department, Food Corporation of India, Chambers of Commerce of Dimapur and Kohima, Municipal Councils of Dimapur, Kohima and Mokokchung, who were present in the meeting, noted that the district administrations and the Municipal Councils have done a commendable job in controlling the price rise in their respective areas.

UNI AS LL KK AS1055