Singlup's response to COVID-19 relief

Mamta Lukram *

The whole world is going through a difficult time due to the global pandemic COVID-19. Lockdowns through dignified guidelines as mechanism to refrain from this disease hit hard the life situations of the people.

Staying indoors is announced mandatory for all. Exemptions from movement restriction is granted to a few people, equipped under the section 'essential service.'

In such a state of affair, any group or individuals who could render assistance to the fellow beings utilized as the appropriate timing for extending their generosity. The whole media house is filled with reports of hardships and services to mankind in vice-versa.

Amongst the remarkable service worth mentioning is the villagers from different hill community gifting relief materials to the valley dwellers of the state. Through the fight against this disease, people of the state strengthen their age-old harmonious cohesion between the hill and valley.

The Government of Manipur has also shared expression of interest from civil society organizations (CSOs) and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) for proposals anticipating the ways in which they can assist the government to stand up against the disease.

Appreciation goes to the Government of Manipur for acknowledging the role of CSOs and NGOs in responding critical social issues. Salutations for capacitating legitimate roles for active participation in response to global concerns.

With the assistance from the government, many groups and individuals initiated deeds of charity towards mankind. Dedicated efforts for reach out to the public are relentlessly being made during this difficult time.

Social media pages are filled up with interesting updates on acts of humanity. Prioritization insisted in particular, upon providing aid and accessibility of essential commodities, during nationwide lockdown.

Out of the many activities in the valley of the state, a voluntary initiative taken up by 'Singlup,' group of village elders, sought attention.

Singlup is an informal elder's council of Meitei leikai (community/locality).

This body accounts the number of households in a locality whereby every single household is a member. This body bear significance whenever someone passed away.

Its members will contribute a humble amount as solidarity to the aggrieved family for carrying out rites and rituals. Its representatives are informally selected elders.

Singlup, sometimes owns community assets and raised fund through collective effort.

Instances are of localities where the representatives will sit in a particular house on every specific day, like full moon or new moon day, following lunar calendar, and a fixed small amount like Rs 5/10 per household will be collected, which is supposed to be invested on executing small development activities as plan. They held annual meetings and year plan is being made.

The relevance of Singlup degenerated under the influence of numerous causal factors. Meanwhile, during this hard time, Kongpal Kshetri Leikai and Naoroibam Leikai Singlup of Kongpal Iranpham Thongkhong, Porompat road took up thoughtful resolve of distributing relief materials.

Interacting Toijam Yaishkul Singh, president, Thoudam Roben Singh, secretary and other elders, it is mentioned that the little fund they accumulated through Rs 10 contribution every full moon day of the month, called 'Purnimasing lup marup,' added with generous donation made by some executive members of the singlup, they could materialise the act of charity.

Maintaining social distancing guidelines, the relief material distribution benefited 263 families altogether.

These are small steps indicating thoughtfulness. However, this little deeds by a group of village elders is an instruction to the younger generation to promote the meaning of social life.

Thereby strategies to combat the pandemic, as per se, in other hand inculcated more values of collectiveness in the ethos of the people, which is to be understood optimistically.