Manipur: KSO Sadar Hills alleges negligence by PHED officials; issues 48-hour ultimatum

The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Sadar Hills, on March 26 launched a sharp attack on officials of the Public Health Engineering Department (PHED) and the Tribal Affairs & Hills (TA&Hills) Department in Kangpokpi, accusing them of “chronic negligence, dereliction of duty and administrative apathy” affecting public services.

In a statement, the student body said it had received repeated complaints from residents regarding “irregularities and persistent absenteeism” by the Executive Engineer of PHED, Kangpokpi Division, and the Deputy Director of TA&Hills in the district.

Acting on these complaints, KSO Sadar Hills members carried out a surprise inspection at the offices of both departments located within the DC Office Complex earlier in the day. The organisation claimed that the inspection confirmed allegations of irregular attendance and inefficiency, which it said were severely impacting essential services.

Describing the situation as a “systemic collapse of accountability,” the KSO issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the concerned officials, directing them to report to duty regularly and discharge their responsibilities with immediate effect. It further demanded that the officials show “genuine commitment” in addressing public grievances.

The organisation warned that failure to comply within the stipulated time would leave the officials with “no moral ground to continue in office,” and asserted that they should step down if non-performance continues.

The KSO also cautioned that it would be compelled to initiate “necessary democratic actions” if its demands are not met, stating that it would not remain a “silent spectator” to what it described as blatant negligence.

The development comes amid growing public dissatisfaction over the functioning of key service departments in Kangpokpi, with residents increasingly voicing concerns over delays and inefficiencies in basic service delivery.