Press tour: Villagers of Kwatha interacts with media persons
Source: IT News

Imphal, December 11 2017: A 2-day Internal Press Conducted Tour was organized by Directorate of information and Public Relations, Government of Manipur at Kwatha in Tengnoupal District on 8th and 9th December, 2017.The tour was mainly organized to highlight the developmental work and grievances of the villagers of Kwatha Village.

Media persons from reputed media agencies including DIPR Staffs took part in the tour.

The tour was flagged off by N.Krishnakumar, Deputy Director, IPR, from the DIPR office complex, Keishampat at 8 am on the 8th of December, 2017 .

Press tour: Villagers of Kwatha interacts with media persons

The media team was warmly welcomed at the Tengnoupal District Headquarter by Dr..SIbomcha Singh, SP, and Rabindra Singh, SDO, Tengnoupal District, on the way to Kwatha.

Interacting with the media persons, Dr..SIbomcha Singh said that for the time being the SP office is functioning from the office attached to Manipur Rural Bank, as the District is newly formed.

The Department is facing difficulties in safeguarding the Indo-Myanmar Border in Tengnoupal District because of the lack of infrastructure and manpower.

And so the Police Department along with the Assam Rifles is taking up steps to maintain the law and order situation of the District.

Moreover, the District Administration is trying their level best to meet the demands of the people and bring peace and harmony among the different communities within the jurisdiction of the District, he further added.

Rabindra Singh said that even though the District is not upto the ideal level but things are improving and in the next 3-4 months some changes may be seen in the said District.

The administration is trying to bridge the gap between the public and the Administration even if there are difficulties in reaching out to the remote areas, he added.

On reaching Kwatha, the media team was welcomed by the village authorities and share the grievances of the villagers.

A village authority member interacting with the media team said that the villagers are facing many problems.

The main plight of the villagers is the lack of proper road connectivity.

Even though there has been some developmental work in the recent days because of the festival, the road leading to Kwatha village is not completed as per the steps taken up by the previous Government and the present Government.

The main source of income for the villagers, fermented Bamboo shoots (Soibum Khangba), has been affected due to flowering of bamboos.

It will take upto 10 years to start from the beginning.

Cultivation of rice is also at the brink because of the menace of the rodents.

Procuring Charcoal (Meitan Louba) becomes the only means but it is seasonal and so the source of income is almost to the level of zero.

The villagers will suffer a lot in the coming years and so wanted the Government to look into the matter, he said.

He further said that the only means to curb the present situation is to start cultivating vegetables, pineapple, banana plantation etc., suitable to the climatic condition of the area.

These are the alternative means to earn income for the livelihood of the villagers.

All villagers want the concerned authority and departments to look into the matter to support the villagers for their livelihood, he added.

Taking opportunity of the media interaction, the villagers appealed the government to take up the government schemes at the earliest.

The media team left the village on the same day and reached DIPR office, Imphal, the next day after halting the night at Moreh, as there is no accommodation facility at Kwatha village.