Kamalanagar, October 15:The Chawngte Area Joint Action Committee sponsored total Bandh called in protest against non-fulfillment their demands to make power supply regular and maintenance of Chawngte to Chhumkhum road hit life hard today within Chawngte town area. The streets, business hub areas, schools and office complexes wore a deserted look. Hundreds of volunteers of the Joint Action Committee patrolled the roads to ensure the Bandh is a success.

A deserted look of the Kamalanagar Bazar area during the Total Bandh.

A protest rally on 7th was organized in protest against the same issues where thousands of inhabitants of Chawngte town area took to the street. These courses of action were resorted to when memoranda to the Hon’ble Minister, Power & Electricity and PWD on the same issues failed to produce any favourable response.  The Joint Action Committee, in a statement said, shall be bound to boycott the upcoming Assembly General Election if no action is initiated to find a lasting solution to their just demands.

The Chairman, JAC, Dangu Jyotir Moy Chakma and Secretary, JAC, C. Lalhmunmawia while making formal announcement of calling off the Bandh at about 1:30 pm said they shall continue to maintain pressure and shall not sit idle till their just demands are fulfilled and told they shall come up within a day or two with their plan for further course of action. In response to the memorandum submitted on 7th, on the day the procession was taken, the Executive Engineer, P&E, Lunglei sent a reply about action being taken, informed the Chairman. However, what is not clear about is the nature of the action taken as the condition of the power supply has not improved at all, said Dangu Jyotir Moy Chakma in his address to the volunteers. The recently installed 33KV line for Chawngte is faulty as admitted by the Office of the SDO, P&E, Lungsen and shall continue to have problems till it’s not put into order as was told to Dangu Jyotir Moy Chakma. Dangu Jyotir Moy lamented that where were the officials when works were going on and when it was their duty to supervise the works.

No untoward incidents were reported during the day. However, Dangu Buddha Lila Chakma, Executive Member, CADC along with other co-passengers who took a flight from Aizawl got held up at the Halipad till the Bandh was called off.