Imphal, September 07, 2009: Development in all fronts fails to make a mark in Kasom Khulen subdivision of Ukhrul district, rendering the subdivision to be the most backward one in the state.

The matter comes to light during a survey conducted by members of Information Centre for Hill Areas, Manipur (ICHAM), Tangkhul Aze Katamnao Long (Southern Tangkhul Students' Union), and a team of media persons from September 4 to 6. The team found that there has been no building of the UJB School at Tangkhul Khullen village under Saikul block in Senapati district.

Till 2008, the villagers had to use several places including the village's Church as class room since the school building was burned down in the ethnic clash in 1993. According to the headmaster of the School, M Tikendrajit, a one-class room school building has been erected now under SSA in the village.

But still, they are using the kitchen of midday meal as classroom as the building could not accommodate all the students.

He said, the school is yet to get midday meal materials like plate, pot, glass, etc.The materials supplied by the government did not meet the needs of the school's midday meal maintenance.

Tikendrajit said there are only two teachers in the school against 46 students.

No cook has been appointed for the school.

The two teachers had to contribute Rs 500 each from their pocket and hired a local woman to cook for the students.

The village chief, KS Sandai said the village is not electrified as there is no single electric post.

The villagers have faced water scarcity problem.

PDS items are never to be availed to the villagers.

Agriculture is the only means of sustenance for the village that has around 800 inhabitants.

The village is lacking in every front.

He however admits that National Rural Employment Generation Scheme (NREGS) is helping the villagers to meet their needs though in little amount.

At Yesom village under Kasom Khulen subdivision in Ukhrul district, students are said to learn in a tiny class rooms.

No bench has also been found to be present in the class rooms.

The rooms are filled with feathers of domestic fowls.

The attendance register of the school teachers shows that the signatures are fabricated.

The village secretary has said that there are five teachers in the school.

The village secretary said students of the village school have sometimes been provided midday meal by taking the midday meal materials in cash.

He said five teachers have been appointed as substitutes by paying them Rs 1500 each per month.

He also said that the village did not get any beneficiary scheme of the government.

He conveyed his desire to first construct drainage before the road is constructed.

On the way to Mawai village, eleven kilometres far from Kasom Khulen, the team was stranded due to bad road condition.

The team members had to trek on foot.

Interacting with the team, chairman of Mawai village, S Matuingai said the Mawai Junior High School has 86 students with four regular teachers and two additional teachers from the village.He said the headmaster of the school used to come to the school twice in a year.Four/five midday meals have been served to the students in a year.

Matuingai said the village is lacking in every front.

The villagers have faced water scarcity problem.

The village reels under the dark, in the absence of electricity since 1996. He said the villagers are yet to be told what PDS is all about.

He said no benefit under Tribal Development department has been availed to ordinary villagers who have no contact with the local MLA.

Though there is a PHSC, no staff has ever attended the office.

Nothing has been seen or achieved other than the display of a signboard at a house in 1983. The subdivision headquarters of Kasom Khulen is no exception.

The village headman S Wungngang and secretary SP Anand said, even as the construction of the PHC of Kasom Khulen was being completed since three years back, the same remains dysfunctional.There is only one staff nurse.

No medicine doctor is appointed at the centre.

No equipment and medicine has been provided.

The CIC of Kasom Khulen stopped functioning since two years back, the village leaders said.

Though Kasom Khulen is located 63 kilometres away from Imphal, it takes a good four hours in traveling the distance.

The team has visited Khamlang village and Somrei village to hear and see the same story.

The team was led by ICHAM and TAKL leaders including Naorem Jinjoy, Usham Rajen, Wungsumei Kasar, Simthar Jajo, Haorei Mahong, Worinchon Kasar, and Chuingamla.The ICHAM members have drawn the attention of the concerned authority to look into the plights of the villagers of Kasom Khulen subdivision at the earliest.

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