Negligence galore at Cheirao Ching Eco Tourism
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 30 2022:
The Eco Tourism project, which is under development atop Cheirao Ching, resembles that of an abandoned site with many lapses being witnessed.
The project component, which had been taken up under funding from the DoNER Ministry, included two watch towers, a ticket counter, parking, resources building, information centre, toilet with overhead tank, cafeteria with fencing, rain shelters, sitting benches, tree guards and retaining walls, along with renovation of the existing statues.
However, none of the above is anywhere near completion.
In addition, the work is being poorly done, lacking any supervision.
The slope leading to the martyrs' memorials are not gravelled either for blacktopping or flooring, and are particularly dirty to look at.
There is no blacktopping or retaining wall along the path leading to the second Watch tower.
The sitting benches are all overgrown by the surrounding shrubbery.
All of the structures have become rather messy as there is no one around to supervise its maintenance.
Speaking to The People's Chronicle in this regard, Thangmeiband United Club president Pratap Leishangthem appreciated the eco-tourism project being un dertaken at Thangmeiband Cheirao Ching, but expressed dismay over the worsening conditions of the structures due to gaps in the works taken up by the department concerned.
The locals in the area alone cannot oversee everything, he said, while mentioning the incomplete road repairs and the occurrence of frequent landslides due to absence of retaining walls to hold the side of the mountain that had been cut down.
Pratap also mentioned incidents of fans and solar lamp batteries being stolen from the area due to absence of security and a caretaker in the area.
Although the department has been informed of the matter multiple times, no positive response has been given.
As such, he urged the new state government to take up measures to beautify Cheirao Ching Eco tourism area including keeping a caretaker, deploying adequate security and addressing other issues, so as to make the area a prime tourism spot of the state.