Manipur: Kuki chiefs oppose plan to shift Tengnoupal district headquarters

The Kuki Chiefs Association (KCA), Tengnoupal Block, has opposed a proposal to shift the district headquarters of Manipur’s Tengnoupal from Tengnoupal village to Khebung village, calling the move “divisive” and a threat to communal harmony.

In a statement, the KCA underlined that Tengnoupal has served as the district headquarters since December 8, 2016, when it was officially declared by the Manipur government during the tenure of then minister DK Korungthang Maring. The decision, it said, was made based on the village’s central location and connectivity along the Asian Highway.

The Association added that the Chief of Tengnoupal had already donated land for government offices and infrastructure, reaffirming his willingness to support ongoing development.

The group dismissed the District Development Coordination Committee (DDCC) as “illegitimate and unrepresentative,” alleging that it was formed by members of a single community and does not represent the district’s diverse population. “The larger community does not recognise the DDCC,” the statement read.

The KCA urged authorities to prioritise the completion of the mini-secretariat and other infrastructure projects at Tengnoupal, rather than consider shifting the administrative base.

It warned that changing the status of Tengnoupal as the district headquarters would not serve public interest and could “disrupt peace in the region.”