Tax being collected sans power supply
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 12 2009:
Believe it or not, but this is the truth ! The State Government has been collecting power tariff from a village in Tengnoupal sub-division of Chandel district even though the said village had not been receiving power supply.
Located near border pillar number 84 of Indo-Myanmar International boundary, Waksu village in Tengnoupal sub-division of Chandel district is a small settlement of Maring tribe comprising just 9 households.
Along with recognising it as one of the villages which has been brought under electrification by the State Power Department, Waksu first experienced power supply in November 2004.But after the first few days, the village has not been receiving power supply all these years, though the villagers have been judiciously paying power tariff to the Electricity Department till 2007 .
Interacting with The Sangai Express in this regard, chief of Waksu village DL Mondun said that in the absence of power supply, the bulbs in the houses are lying idle at Waksu village are hanging just like biles of wild boar.
Inspite of that the villagers were paying taxes at the office of the Power Department at Chandel till 2007.However since 2008 the villagers have stopped paying the tax.
When asked why the villagers were paying the taxes if they were not enjoying power supply, the village chief informed that the staff of the Power Department told them to do so if they want power supply.
The electric wires, poles and the transformer in the village are there intact.
The only road connecting the village with the outside world through Sita Road had been constructed after entrusting the task of jungle cutting works to the timber traders by the villagers.
The only vehicle that could ply along the road is Shaktiman.
The condition of the road is also bad and narrow that there is no place where one Shaktiman truck can take over another.
On his way to Waksu village from Sita, which is just 4 kms away, this reporter had to hold up almost 4 hours as the Shaktiman in which he was travelling broke down along the road.
Such breakdowns are reported to be common experiences for the villagers who sometime have to spend the nights on the road.
It is learnt that in view of the deplorable condition of the road, the required ration like rice, etc for the entire academic year of the students from the villages who are pursuing studies at schools in Kakching and Pallel area are transported before the onset of rainy season.