Mizos in Tripura hill holds rally demanding widening education scope

Agartala: Mizo population residing in Jampui hills along Tripura-Mizoram border held a massive rally on Wednesday demanding inclusion of Mizo language in the syllabus of Tripura University and to improve basic service amenities across the hills.
Besides, they demanded inclusion of Mizo as a language for TET exam, the graduation of Jampui higher secondary school with more subjects and set up a degree college to facilitate the students. Now, the hill people have to move to Shillong, Aizawl, Agartala and other cities to pursue graduation.
The rally was under the banner of Young Mizo Association (YMA) and Mizo Zirlai Pawal (MZP) – the strongest civil society organisations of Mizoram. The protestors submitted a memorandum to Jampui Block Development Officer (BDO) for Chief Minister Dr Manik Saha, which included the demand for setting up of a fire station in the Jampui hills, Aadhar card cell registration facilities, up gradation of Jampui primary health centre to community health centre.
The memorandum asked to implement water lifting project to manage the crisis of water in Jampui hills, provision for setting up 33 KV electrical line in Jampui hills, early conclusion of work on National Highway-4 passing through Jampui hills, restoration of the collapsed water supply lines in villages of Jampui hills.
The deputation was followed by a public meeting in the Jampui hills wherein the community leaders highlighted the sufferings of people living in the hills. Due to inconsistent power supply and road connectivity no economic activity has not been undertaken yet. The road construction work to connect Agartala with Aizawl has been held up for the last many years, resulting in hindrance in the movement of both sides, they stated.
It was also pointed out that the import of betel nuts from Myanmar through Mizoram is dealing a heavy blow to the betel nut producers of Jampui because after the collapse of orange cultivation betel nuts have become a major cash crop in the Mizo-dominated Jampui hills.
In the memorandum the people urged the government to take steps to prevent the smuggling of betel nuts from Myanmar across Mizoram.