Moreh Block: Fresh Look And Outlook

By Lunminthang Haokip *

The Background: "A small town is a town where every visitor is a new-comer; and continues to be so even when he re-visits after lapse of ten years", an old adage said. Border township of Chandel district in Manipur State is one such place. Crowds mill in and zip out of it every day, except on bundh-days. No invitation. No felicitation. No celebration.

Folks come to Moreh in season, and out of season; and give no reason for doing so. All that we locals know, and see is that visitors come for a haggle and a buy at Namphalong market, across the international boundary-line on the buttered Myanmarese side, and shuttle back to their homes, before one can say hello. That's not because they must, but for lack of anything better to do at the solo border destination.

The Distant Past: Moreh was a different picture altogether in the distant past. The morning market located on this side of the border was the trading point. We had much more traders who could dictate business terms to their counterparts from the other side of the fence than we have today. "Agar-wood" was in great demand from the Arab countries. Moreh was the outlet for the Burmese Agar dealers.

Big cash-flow oiled the booming town's wheels of cross-border sales and buys. Except for the mock-serious dada-giri of Touba-ngamba (can-man) Ngamkhai, a vocal local leader, then, and the machinations of a few hideous con-men, there was no heinous threat to the oneness of the peaceful mini cosmo habitat.

Gate No.1 at Moreh, bordering Burma

The Recent Precedents : In the sixties and the seventies of the last century, Moreh came under Tengnoupal Sub-Division and TD Block. Tengnoupal, the Ooty-like high altitude hill-top Block head quarter was perfect for Army camping. But scarcity of natural water and imaginative warmth led the BHQ to be shifted on to the bank of lower Menal/Tuipi river in the eighties. Human nature being what it was, the state Government was pressurised to maintain status-quo.

In the nineties, after a long mental tug of war, a compromise was hammered out that an SDO office be re-opened at Tengnoupal while the ADC was left to function from Moreh, as usual. The SDO/Moreh's office building came up in a jiffy, as agreed upon. But alas! the isolated location had few takers. Ever-accommodating Moreh remained as the action-station for the whole Block till 2009.

Half-Hearted Bifurcation: It's said, "England and US of A are two nations divided by a common language". We have a similar situation here. Tengnoupal and Moreh are two administrative head quarters within the same TD Block divided by a common dialect and aspiration. In 2009, talks were initiated to settle the jinxed issue. Orders were issued upon orders.

To strike out a balance, District Administration, on geographical considerations, bifurcated the erstwhile Tengnoupal Sub-Division into two Blocks: Moreh and Tengnoupal Blocks. But, in essence, fund-allocations for the two Blocks do not exceed that of one single Block. Presently, following the incumbent DC/Chandel, Mr. H. Deleep Singh's order, SDO/Tengnoupal functions from the former's office at Chandel DHQ. Land is likely to be acquired soon for construction of a new office building for SDO/Tengnoupal beside the NH-39, somewhere near TPL Police Station.

Potential Assets of Moreh Block: A pristine developmental Block bordering Myanmar in the East, Tengnoupal Block in the North and the West, and Khengjoi Block in the South, tropical trees, perennial rivers and streams, mineral resources and vast stretches of land for horticulture are the wooded Block's untapped resources. Fertility of the soil is an added advantage. Anything sown or planted grows fast and bears good fruit.

Plans are afoot in DRDA, Chandel to provide long-term, medium term and short-term forest and horticultural saplings to the rural settlers of the Block under MGNREGS. If guided with care and motivated with tact, slope lands of Moreh Block can stuff the neighbouring country's markets with all kinds of fruits and vegetables. The lack of a firm will to perform is the only factor that stops lethargic locals short from converting idle hill land into cash.

The Vital Stats: It's not for nothing that it was said, "Statistics, like a bikini, conceals the vital and reveals the obvious". Stats are meant to be like that. Nevertheless, it helps one to weave a mental idea of a place one knows nothing about. In the enumeration exercises of Census 2011, about 68 villages had been listed in the Rural columns in Moreh Block. Moreh town has 9 wards.

60 Enumerators under the direction of 15 Supervisors had been traversing 51 Rural and 30 urban E/Blocks since June 1, this year; putting their best foot forward to record the particulars of the inhabitants of the Block. New-tech biometrics, to be introduced in Phase 2 of the decadal Census India, 2011, that will begin by the fall of autumn, this year-end, is hoped to capture the accurate population figures of the Block. It will be nothing less than 30,000. Add to this a floating pop of 5000.

The Communities: The major communities that are learning to co-exist in the Block are Thadous/Kukis, Zous, Mizos, Hmars, Meiteis, Manipuri Muslims, Tamils, and Nepalis. Punjabis, Biharis and other communities also take shelter at Moreh BHQ in lesser numbers. Untimely clash of communal interests of agrieved groups of the small town (with big problems), saw angered residents engaged in near fatal confrontations, at times.

But better sense always prevailed. In the same way people of Rajasthan had devised concerted ways to conserve water, crisis-prone mini cosmo town, Moreh, veer around the community leaders to settle their pressing issues. The CSOs enjoy a semi governmental status too. Their endorsements carry weight in identification of citizens in the offices. This situation-specific decentralised system, of course, makes the job of the administrator a lot easier.

The Infrastructure: With the recent addition of 4 more VIP rooms in Forest Rest House, Moreh, the total Govt Guest house rooms available for sojourners at the only paved eastern corridor of India to ASEAN cities, will be around 32 only. A 50-bedded hospital, a PHC, an Aided College, A Govt Higher Secondary, a half-functional super market, a barricaded helipad, a Trade Centre with state-of-the-art Conference hall at Moreh and scores of community halls, waiting sheds and guest houses constructed under BADP and BRGF are the assets created with Govt funding.

The respected Chief Secretary of Manipur, Shri D.S. Poonia, in his last visit to Moreh, promised a 250 million rupee infrastructure project for the under-developed BHQ. Mentally club this good news together with the well-orchestrated ICP project, the ambitious Border Fencing work and the beautification plan at Gate no. 2, which is in the pipeline, and you have an imagined visual of an upgraded Moreh.

Urgent Necessities: If the much touted Trans-Asian Highway is not a joke played on us, AH-1, and AH-2 running into Myanmar through Thailand, and AH-3 and AH-14 that will enter Myanmar through eastern and southern China, will meet at Mandalay. Reports say 70% of the road-paving work had been completed. The politics over the proposed bridge to be constructed over Mekong river between upper Thai town, Chiang Khong, and Huay Xai in Laos, is said to be the speed-breaker in this sector of the Trans-Asian project.

The main concern is, will our poorly decked up BHQ be able to take on the heavy load of ASEAN traffic to be routed through its roads via Tamu? Is it not high time we build up infrastructure commensurate with the ASEAN standards? And why not create a Lengpui (Aizawl)-type Airstrip on a flattened hill-top in the vicinity of Moreh to convenience international business deals?

The Departments: The State Government Departments that make their presence felt in varying degrees and rank and file levels at Moreh BHQ are the offices of the ADC, STO, Forest, Wild life, Electricity, Industry and Commerce, Moreh Hospital, PHC, DIO, ARCS, PHE, Vety, Higher Sec School, MR, MP, Taxation, ICDS, WDO, DI of Schools, CA & PD and Employment Exchange. Altogether, they are 21. And only 13 DDOs draw monthly salary of their staff from Moreh Sub-Treasury.

Vital Departments whose absence had strongly impacted the BHQ's affairs are those of DTO, Election, MP (Traffic), PWD and Science & Technology. Notional conflicts often jam up harmonious co-parking of the human mind due to bad lanes and traffic irregularities. GOI is represented by 31 AR (MHA), Preventive Customs, Land Customs and SIB. The only Bank in service wit LC-bankability at this border trade junction is UBI.

Market Economics: In the good old days, the Burmese Kyat was the currency-in-use both at Tamu and Moreh. On the clever insistence of a Customs Officer, the monetary equations changed gradually. This part of the globe is the only trading arena where the Rupee is flexing its muscles at the expense of the Kyat. The exchange rates are controlled by the invisible big players in China, Myanmar and India.

The mushrooming of swanky Spanish villas at Tamu town is indicative of Myanmarese gain in the under-valuing of the Kyat in the border transactions. However, Namphalong market is going down slightly. Most of the commodities on sale over there can be bought at cheaper rates in other Indian cities like Chennai and Guwahati. Shipped through sea-route, transportation of the items from China costs lesser than the ones coming by road through AH-3 and AH-14 via Myanmar.

Electricity Guest House, Moreh

The Lighter Side of Life: Come November 1st . All lanes of Moreh usually lead to Galngam Lentol (playground) at Moreh's Ward no. 2. The demand for Bollywood-type entertainment grows higher year after year. The autumnal Chikim fest that attracts folks of all tastes and ages is known as Kut.

The annual jamboree is celebrated as Chapchar Kut at Aizawl in the month of March, Thalfavang Kut in some Zo settlements and as Chavang Kut by the Kuki diasporas across the continents. Every year all the communities of Moreh rush in to take part in the singing and dancing that goes along with Kut celebration. For once, there is a scenario where there is no mismatch of role to player, day in and day out.

AVZ at Moreh: In 2009 Moreh Kut, Miss C. Lalhmingmawii AVZ from Aizawl, among others, was the star Gospel singer whose stage-presence lit up the gigantic show. The Kut song gave the mesmerised audience a shot in the arm. Abea too exhibited his class along with Lhainei Haokip, Tintin Kipgen and Nehminlen Lhouvum who all performed well.

Wake-Up Call: It's no mean feat that Goshen Ministry, Moreh had ceaselessly been arranging preaching of the Word of God in the wee hours of the morning every day at Moreh. There's nothing like starting the day with a heart freshly filled to the brim with a good sermon. The main purpose is to call God in prayer.

"Call unto Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not", said the almighty in Jeremiah 33:3. The verse is heaven's toll-free telephone number any soul gone berserk can call and get remedy from. But nothing less than sincere confession of sin will make the all-knowing God lend an ear. God's blessing had been palpable since the Gospel messages had been aired to the town-folks as the morning wake-up call. Now, let us read this author's metaphorical Wake Up call in verses.

HAIL MOREH

1.Nearer home is a shire non-lesser,
A border sapphire that links Myanmar;
Hills and dales that God's wishes unveil;
In a no frills county called Chandel,
That warm vibes His own may share and fuse,
The Lord wills firm tribes to dwell in peace.

We like pride and to the land bring fears,
We love fights and to women bring tears;
Lure of wealth covers cure of the Word;
Word of men rules o'er way of the Lord;
Mend your flaws and live God's laws will sail
As end-chant to bail and hail Moreh.

2. Shrewd plans badly moved our own folds ail,
Good moves sadly proved make the soul wail;
Life–lifting schemes make us all scheming,
High-living cream too keep on seeking;
Will this augur well to thirst for more,
Here where Christ gave His all and sins bore?

3. The riches the Maker blessed us with,
The Churches sinners in stress visit;
Will do less to lift up ties and traits,
Unless we give up lies in true-faith,
When the world pants in vain to Look East
The whole stands to gain most in Look Christ.

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Lunminthang Haokip

* Lunminthang Haokip, a resident of Old Lambulane, Imphal is a regular contributor to e-pao.net.
The writer self-describes himself as 'an occasional pen-pusher and a regular reader of E-pao!!!' . He can be contacted at minth8657(at)gmail(dot)com.
This article was webcasted on August 03, 2010.

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