Bereft of development, internet connectivity, KAKA villagers in despair
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, December 03 2023:
The far flung border village of KAKA (K Ashang Khullen Aze), a local trade centre for the villages under Kasom Block of Kamjong district, continues to suffer from lack of internet connectivity and public transportation.
According to a press statement issued by KAKA village secretary H Isaac, the village has the potential to become an important border trade centre of Manipur owing to its proximity with two important sub-divisions of Myanmar, Myothi and Mintha township.
KAKA village is located along Border Pillar No 90 in the extreme south of Ukhrul.
The villagers have demanded the State Government to establish police station at Trade Centre KAKA (Lower), "Model Town", open a JNV/Eklavya Residential School, set up an Integrated Check Post (ICP) at Trade Centre KAKA and construction of RCC bridge between TC KAKA (Lower) & Z Choro in order to develop the region.
According to the village secretary, in 2021 MLA Leishiyo Keishing laid the foundation stone for an important market centre of the Indo-Myanmar border in KAKA village.
Recently, Minister of State for External Affairs & Education Dr RK Ranjan Singh along with Outer MP Dr Lorho S Pfoze also laid the foundation stone for construction of a market shed.
The visiting Minister also assured the villagers to provide internet connectivity but the same has yet to materialise.
According to the statement, the villagers are currently relying on Myanmar network using Myanmar sim card MPT/Ooredoo (telecommunication service providers of Myanmar) incurring additional expenses for the poor rural people.
The village elder also pointed out other inconveniences like lapsing of MGNREGA bills due to internet inaccessibility and subsequent failure to upload documents in time.
Thus, the press statement urged the State Government to look into the grievances of the people to ensure development in a fair manner.