Villages deprived due to Govt apathy
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Tamenglong, January 21, 2011:
People living in remote villages like Bamgaijang, Zeiladjang, Taijijang and Tongtao villages in Tamenglong district of Manipur are one among those most deprived.
There are no metalled roads, no electricity and schools a run only in name.
These pathetic conditions were experienced by this reporter during an exclusive tour of remote villages of Tamenglong district.
Bamgaijang village is 25 kms from the district HQ.
Entry to this village is only through Akhui village on the Khongsang to Tamenglong road.
Bamgaijang Village Authority Secretary, Guidunang said that the village is motorable only during the dry season.
Villagers have to carry patients on make shift stretchers to reach Akhui for the onward journey to the district hospital.
There has been no power supply for more than 12 years and power lines have since been stolen.
MGNREGS provides some work but wages are not given in time, he stated.
Climate change and rodent menace have wrought havoc in the practice of jhuming.
Production has been reduced drastically , he claimed.
Villagers survive by selling vegetables and other horticulture products and fish.
People have to travel on foot to the district HQ to buy rice.
Khiujuanang Gonmei, 80 years of Bamgaijang village said no government officer had ever visited their village.
He wanted the state government to set up a dispensary in his village which would also serve the surrounding villages of Taijijang, Makuai, Duilengphai, Tuichamphai, Ramlalong, Venchengphai, Zeiladjang, Tongtao and Thiulon.
In the nearby villages of Taijijang, Zeiladjang and Tongtao too there is no power and health care centres.
Meinganthuiyang Kamei, Chairman of Taijijang village told this reporter that their main source of income was through the MGNREGS and from fishing.
He appealed to the concerned authority to immediately construct a bridge over the Barak river to connect Bamgaijang and Taijijang.
He also appealed for construction of a waiting shed and a guest house for outsiders who come to visit the Barak waterfall and the Zeilad lake.
Meinganthuiyang Kamei said the fertile land of the Barak valley is very productive, but because of poor connectivity there is no place to sell the products.
He expressed his gratitude to Jenghemlung Panmei alias Karopou a social worker for clearing a big mudslide between Cheangdai and Ramlalong via Bamgaijang village to enable plying of vehicles after eight months of rains.
The road from Khongsang to Barak bridge point at Namtiram Ghat & then to Dikiuram under RSVY remains incomplete though the contractor has submitted the completion report two years back.
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