Churachandpur –What does the very mention of that name brings up to the mind?

It brings up a grim picture of lawlessness, disorder and mess in each and every way that you turn, and a communalism so chronic that eats into your very being. Nothing good except ‘bad and worse’, A town that never fails to run of controversies, a town of ‘our-ism and they-ism’ thanks to the chronic communalism that is deeply entrenched here in this town. A town where narrow division walls stands so strong that ‘the communal considerations’ often takes precedence over the good of all, a town where hungry communities who needs alms are instead buying arms.

A town where Churches of all shapes and sizes, of varying designs stands as ‘failed institutions’, a town where the majority of the communities living there have made a complete mockery of their faith… and their lives are far from being a living testimony of their faith in the eyes of the people who converse with a different god. And consensus is a word that doesn’t exist in the vocabulary of the Communalized residents of this town; here the strong and the resourceful have it their way. In short in this town, the laws of the claws and fangs still rules.

This town is in shambles - A Stagnant Cesspool and that is nothing but the whole sickening truth, and whom do we have to blame for? Is a question that begs and an answer, and I believe the blame can fall on the Government and different groups for different and manifold reasons. But the ultimate blame and responsibility should fall on the Communalized Communities of Churachandpur, who pledge their allegiance to their own community first than to being a Lamkaite or a Ccpurian. So, a town that has no real owner (Maphu Leiteh) is bound to go the dogs.

Churachandpur- the second largest town in the state after the Capital Imphal, does not have anything to boast of except garbage dumped at will, roads that are good to be pucca-roads –barely drivable full of potholes, and under-development and backwardness everywhere. The SDO office in Churachandpur is in one pathetic condition, you have to see it for yourself to believe it. It doesn’t look like an office in anyway; rather it could pass off as a rich man’s stables. So don’t be surprised if you hear the mooing of a cow emitting from one of the building that makes up the SDO office in Ccpur, the next time you pay a visit. But like I said earlier who cares anyway?? Communalism has numbed the civic and humanitarian sense of every person living in this town.

But in-spite of all these hopelessness, under-development, and pot-holes filled roads, the pile of garbage dumped at will, and under-development in every sense of the term and the Government apparent apathy for this town. There are ‘Men’ bold enough to take up measures to improve the pathetic conditions of this town in their own capacities and to make it a better place to live in. Let us meet the new ‘Unsung Heroes’ of this town who have been working silently in their own profession out of deep concern, love and a genuine desire to make the town better place for the Ccpurians and their future generations.

Ladies and Gentlemen: I have the privilege of bringing to your notice the unsung heroes of the town of Churachandpur 1) T.Langzathang & Lalremthang Tusing 2) P.Tongthang Zou 3) Lhari Dorjee Lhatoo

T.LANGZATHANG & LALREMTHANG TUSING

“The Batman and Robin of the Churachandpur College”

Ever since this reformative duo took up the charge of Principal and Vice-Principal of the Churachandpur College in March 2004, they also took up the onus of responsibility of reforming the college. Hence the Churachandpur College has been turning a new leaf in all perspectives. The old and sagging College has been given a face lift and a new lease of life. Many noteworthy developments have taken place in such a short span of time, which includes:-

1) Physical improvement of the College

2) Beautification of the College Campus

3) Alteration of Office and Departments

4) Regularization of Classes

5) Streamlining of office work

The Building as whole has also been given ‘a whole new look’ the floors, walls and verandahs of the Classrooms are being renovated and made a new. Experiments can now be conducted in the Laboratory of the Science faculty for real now. In short, a real laboratory now exists in the Churachandpur College now and not just in paper. The Lecturers both local and outstation ones are being given strict directives not to be lethargic in their work and to take their classes regularly. The Principal and the Vice Principal themselves personally ensures that the Lecturers are present in the Campus during office hours. No wonder The Vice-Principal Lalremthang Tusing, is always armed with a mobile phone, seated on the verandah of his office building. He keeps a strict check and vigil on the Lecturers, and never hesitates to ring them up if ever they are late or not present in the College Campus by the time they have their classes.

All the funds and the expenses for the developmental works that have been undertaken so far, has been self-generated by the Principal and the Vice-Principal themselves. With no funds or any form of financial assistance, not even a single paise from the Government, the Batman and Robin duo of the Ccpur College have been even using their own hard-money from their own pockets to reconstruct, and renovate the college building that has seen far better days.

The Vice Principal Lalremthang Tusing, is fully submerged in his work and deeply committed to his vision of reforming the Ccpur College, even to the extent of neglecting his own business – ‘The Book Center’ (It may be apt to mention here that the Vice Principal Lalremthang Tusing, also owns a Book Shop, the number one Book Shop in the Churachandpur town and the District as whole). Says Hmanglienkhum, a worker at ‘The Book Center’ – “These days our Maphu is hardly available at The Book Center, He is intoxicated with the College development, and can be found only in the College Campus 24/7”

The Principal and The Vice-Principal of the Churachandpur College deserve all the applause for daring to dream beyond these hard and desperate times, looking beyond the horizon and working hard to make the CCPUR GOVT COLLEGE at par with the Private Run Colleges in the town.

But the reformative duo has one serious complaint, a grievance which they have brought to the notice of the Government on many counts but to of no avail and i.e. the due shortage of Lecturers in the Science Department. It may be relevant to mention here that there are surplus of Science Lecturers in the Government Colleges based in the Valley. I think it’s high time that the authorities concerned take a serious look into this matter and do the needful at the earliest in the interest of the Science Students of the Churchandpur Government College. Maybe the Education Minister Francis Ngajokpa could do something about the paucity of Science Lecturers in the Churachandpur Government College. I sure think he can and I sincerely believe he will!

It is real heartwarming to know that in-spite of all the hopelessness and desperation that encompass this town. We still have people like T.Langzathang and Lalremthang Tusing the Principal and Vice Principal of the Churachandpur Government College, who are hell bent on reforming and re-building the Ccpur Government College at any cost. The Churachandpur Government College is finally making news for the right reasons, and ‘the very Senior Lecturers’ of the oldest Government College in town, have stopped making an issue about their Seniority are now doing what they are suppose to do taking their classes regularly - No wonder the Classes are in full swing!

This Batman and Robin duo of the Ccpur College have taken it up as their mission the task of reforming the CCPUR GOVT COLLEGE in all perspective. The Lecturers can drop any thoughts of lethargic-ness, drowsiness, and the unholy task of skipping Classes, for awhile now. For as long as the Batman (T.Langzathang) and his faithful sidekick Robin (Lalremthang Tusing) are around laziness, disinterest in one’s work, and disregard for one’s student’s welfare, or drowsiness or dullness of any kind will not be entertained in anyway. And this reformative duo of T.Langzathang, Principal (Batman) and Lalremthang Tusing (Robin) sure pack a mighty reformative punch!

P.TONGTHANG ZOU

‘The Philanthropic Special Class Contractor’

For those who have had the privilege of driving on the roads of Churachandpur will know too well the ‘excellent quality’ of the roads. With huge pot-holes resembling craters on the moon filling the road, one can hardly drive a car without a bump ahead or having to press the brake off and on, every now and then. And when the rains comes pouring down, it fills the potholes and virtually turn it into a mud-pool. Churachandpur I believe is the only town with a distinction of having mud-pools right on the roads.

The Local MLA’s did promised to repair the roads, but promises are just like eggs only meant to be broken. The Vehicle Drivers in this God Forsaken town have been cursing their fate and mourning the plight of their roads. And some of them have even gained proficiency in maneuverings and avoiding the pot-holes, it is easy to believe for the Ccpurians that they are consigned to such a fate when the Government and the Local MLA’s are doing nothing about it but turning the other way and pleading ignorance. Then someone took up the mantle of repairing and healing the worn out, sick and ailing roads of the town -Someone who goes by the name of T.Tongthang Zou. Well I cannot say for sure whether Mr.Tongthang Zou has his political affiliations or not, he may or may not have. But I know one thing, Mr. Tongthang Zou is doing the town and its people a great deal of service, and as a Ccpurian I salute him.

For the Ccpurians T.Tongthang Zou, needs no special introduction. He has been in the news for his philanthropic deeds – A Special Class Contractor by profession. He has been working selflessly, using his own money to repair the roads of Ccpur, filling the pot-holes with sands, then placing a truck-load of rocks and leveling them with a Bull-Dozer all in his own expenses. This is one amazing guy, who doesn’t mind digging deep into his own pockets so that he could make driving on the Ccpur roads a joy-ride and not a living nightmare. In his own words ‘All the expenses are borne by me, I get no help or financial assistance or fund from the Government in any kind or in any way, so the next time you find yourself speeding down the roads of Churachandpur with the wind blowing through your hair, I think you would know who to thank for. Kudos to P.Tongthang Zou!!

L.D.LHATOO – THE SP OF CCPUR

‘The Man who re-defines what Policing is all about – the Super Cop’

This tall dynamic and good looking IPS officer from the hills of picturesque Darjeeling has adopted himself quite well to Churachandpur. From the time he assumed charge, the Police Force has been going on from strength to strength, and the moral of the Police Force has reached an all time high. A very soft spoken man with no airs about him, Lhari, has led his actions do all the talking. I think we all know how well he has conducted himself, and carrying out his duties and responsibility without fear and favor. And the best thing about him is that he is approachable.

The Police Station is finally being rebuilt, and the Police Station is getting an overdue face lift and a much needed renovation. Other SP come and goes without the least concern for their Police Station, or taking up any work or measure to improve the physical infrastructure. But Lhari, the present SP is different and the SP’s staff and his subordinates only have praises to say about him. Lhari has adopted Ccpur and Ccpur has in turn adopted him. Even the Staff at the SP’s Office in Tuibuong, now have a Television Set, which they can switch on and switch off at leisure. This S.P. cares, and is down to earth and very humble, not at all arrogant very much unlike other of his ilk.

And as a Ccpurian I am proud to say that it is indeed a blessed assurance to know that you have an honest upright man in charge of the Police. He has lived up to the People’s expectations, and is no doubt the best SP till date. May his tribe increase!

‘Hope’ seems to be a distant word in this conflict and strife ridden town, where Communal Considerations are always paramount, even Religion takes a backseat to Communalism in this town of the Guns, Drugs and the Damages done, which is quite evident from the ‘inter-fratricidal’ killings between the Christian Communities here in this town who are so close linguistically, socially and culturally, and who all share the same folk-lore, and theories of origins. But when Communalism rears its ugly head, brotherhood or linguistic and ties of cultural affinity are nothing but things to be trampled upon. Ccpur is town left to its own devices by its communal residents and the Governments both at the State and the Central. Development funds meant for Churachandpur never reaches the town, nor is it used for the welfare of the people of this town. Instead the Development Funds meant for this town, get lost in sprucing up the many by lanes and localities of the capital Imphal, or it ends up in the Minister’s Pocket.

Uncertainty looms now over the horizon of Ccpur, People here live out their lives between Guns, Drugs and the Damages done. Fears hangs heavy in the air in Ccpur as always, terror and uncertainty dictates the lives of the local populace here. Churches stand here as Institutions which has failed to unite the people even in the name of the common religion they profess. Communalism is so strongly rooted here that, Loyalty to one’s own community comes first and foremost. Even if a person is employed in an administrative position in which he has to function without bias and favor, communal considerations always are always foremost and the most paramount. And the local MLA’s and the Politicians are the ones who keep dousing the communal flame in order to serve their narrows vested and sinister designs.

The above mentioned persons are true Heroes, who are working selflessly and striving hard to make Churachandpur a better place to live in. Clouds of Gloom and despair now hangs heavy over Churachandpur-Lamka, each night the residents of this town tucked themselves in with the hope that they will make it through the night and through another day. Ridiculous it may sound to some but the thought of another ethnic clash, another blood-bath, has in a way acted as deterrence for the Communalist Communities here to go all out on one another again. For Death is never and will never be an adventure for those who stand face to face it.

So, as a native and as a local of this town Churachandpur I salute the above mentioned heroes for working for the betterment of one and all and not any particular community, but for the good of all. Keep up the good work! For you are bound to inspire other to think beyond narrow communal and parochial interests and divisions

We need more people like them to make these dark clouds of despair and miseries disappear from this town. Till then, we all just have to believe that ‘A New Dawn’ will dawn not only for the People of Churachandpur but for the whole of Manipur as well. And as a true native of this State, It is my earnest hope and fervent prayer that the Children of the future will find themselves in a better Churachandpur and Manipur than this present and venal one that we live in today.