First model LED village Kakmayai yearning for tap water
Source: Chronicle News Service / Ranjit Angom
Imphal, October 06 2022:
Kakmayai village, located at a distance of about 12 km from Thoubal Keithel, which had been declared as a model LED village, is yearning for tap water connection for over two decades now.
Even though PHE department constructed a water supply project at Kakmayai Mamang Leikai, the project is non functional even after 22 years of its completion.
The project construction began in 1997 by PHED Thoubal division.
Despite the fact that the water supply scheme has been a facility through which the department could disburse fund for renovation and repairing from time to time, it never fulfilled its purpose of delivering tap water to the local residents.
Interestingly, in the official documents, the water reservoir and tank are expanded from time to time to accommodate the rising population, new water pipelines are replaced regularly and tap water supply provided to the local residents.
Contrary to the official record, the ground reality is that the water supply scheme is just another failed structure of the government, off-limit for the public.
The village has two community ponds and one small river running through it but the water is not suitable for human consumption.
As a result, the residents of the small village have no option but to purchase water for daily use from private suppliers at a high price.
In December 2020, PHED Thoubal division took up Rejuvenation of Kakmayai Water Supply Scheme for expansion and provision of household tap water connection at a total cost of Rs 1.75 crore.
However, the project is still far from completion.
Being at the extreme end of Heirok assembly constituency, the village does not often get appropriate attention, and so the local residents are hoping that the government would turn its attention towards the village and take up visible development works.
Though patches of black-topping could be seen on the streets, the approach road to the village from the main road is in an extremely poor condition that passenger vehicles are unwilling to enter the village.
The village has an area of 281.17 hectares with 115 households having a population of a little over one thousand.
Male literacy rate in the village is 66.16 per cent and female literacy rate is 50.76 .
The nearest town is Sikhong Sekmai, which is located at a distance of around 3 km.
It was declared as the first model LED village of the state five years ago under Mangai Rural Development Programme.
Each household was provided two LED bulbs and one TV set through contribution from entrepreneurs.
Atomkhuman in Imphal West district was also declared as the first solar powered village in the northeast under the same programme.
The state government also took up a scheme to sell low-cost LED bulbs to encourage public to replace tungsten filament incandescent bulb with energy efficient LED bulbs with the introduction of prepaid meter system, which seems to be in a hiatus today.
After being declared as a model village, the local residents were longing for a PHSC to address their healthcare issues, renovation of Kakmayai Upper Primary School and setting up a high school in the village.
Besides these needs, other main concerns for the villagers are safe drinking water and good road condition.