Sagoltongba remains neglected
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, January 08 2016 :
Negligence of Sagoltongba area, located just about nine kilometres away from the State capital, by the Govt is writ large.
Residents of the area have been left without proper access to basic human needs like drinking water and power supply.
Interacting with this reporter, residents of Sagoltongba Makha Leikai have rued that they have long been without proper water supply and power supply.
Former president of Sagoltongba Social Youth Club, Sinam Nabachandra said that daily power supply to the locality is negligible although the place is in close proximity to Yurembam Power station.
Even as the locals highlighted their grievance in this regard to the authority concerned umpteen times, positive outcome is yet to be seen, he said.
Nabachandra further said that people of the area have to rely on private suppliers for drinking water as the rural water supply scheme at Sagoltongba remains dysfunctional since the past many years.
"This is not a sign of development.
We want the State Govt to take up necessary measures to ensure that the Dept concerned provides regular drinking water supply to the residents," Nabachandra said.
He further said that purchasing drinking water from private suppliers is no mean task for the largely agrarian families.
The vast fertile agriculture land of the area is restricted to monocropping in the absence of proper irrigation, he said.
Double cropping can be practised in the area should the Dept concerned ensure proper functioning of Merakhong Irrigation Project, Nabachandra said while urging the Minor Irrigation Dept to do the needful in this regard.
The roads in the area are also in a dilapidated condition.
No repair work has been taken up on the approach road to Sagoltongba since it was constructed some eight/nine years back, locals said.
Member of Yurembam GP, N Kunjo said that people of the area faced transportation bottleneck due to the bad road condition.
Kunjo said that the PWD has been urged many times to repair the deteriorated road.
However, no positive action has been taken up till date.
It is very unfortunate that no heed has been paid to the demand for repairing of the road, which is a vital element for overall development, Kunjo rued.
The GP member urged the Dept concerned to act swiftly so that the people of the area start taking the path of development.
Kunjo further pointed out that no sanction has been made so far for construction of sanitary latrine under Swachh Bharat Mission in the area.