IMPHAL, Nov 9: The Manipur government has lifted the
mobile internet ban in four hill district headquarters which
have not been affected by ethnic strife, officials said on
Thursday.
The internet ban was withdrawn on a trial basis in the district
headquarters of Ukhrul, Senapati, Chandel and Tamenglong,
which are Naga-majority areas, they said.
The move comes after the Manipur High Court had directed
the state government to operationalise mobile towers, on a
trial basis, in all those district headquarters which have not
been affected by the ethnic clashes.
The mobile internet services in the four hill district
headquarters resumed on Tuesday, the officials said.
Asked about the resumption of mobile internet services, an
official of the Ukhrul district administration said, “Only in
district headquarters, a few selected mobile towers have
been operationalised. But the connectivity is poor. The
restoration will be done on a trial basis.”
At a recent function in Ukhrul, state transport minister
Kashim Vashum had said the services would resume in the
four districts.
Barring a few days in September, mobile internet has
remained banned in Manipur since May 3 when ethnic
clashes broke out.
Manipur has remained gripped by recurring bouts of violence
since ethnic clashes first erupted in May. More than 180
people have been killed since then.
The clashes have occurred over a number of grievances that
both sides have against the other, however, the flashpoint of
the crisis has been a move to give Meiteis Scheduled Tribe
status, which has since been rolled back and an attempt to
turf out tribals living in protected forest areas.
Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s
population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley, while tribals,
which include Nagas and Kukis, constitute 40 per cent and
reside mainly in the hill districts. (PTI)
