Khengjoy: a nondescript, enchanting border village
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Bijoy Laishram

Khengjoy, May 19 2015 : Manipur was merged to the Union of India almost 66 years ago, but it seems there is still no worth mentioning public facility, infrastructure for the interior and meglected village of Khengjoy in Chandel district.

Khengjoy is located about 180 km south of Imphal.

This remote village has many gravelled roads which are poorly maintained and repairing not donev.

It seems the village itself is a gravel parish as there is nothing special for it.

It is just a village.

The main occupation of this village is agriculture.

The village dwellers also take up seasonal vegetable and fruit cultivation.

After a 15-km long travel from south of Khengjoy towards Indo-Myanmar border there is a cross-border trade centre called Bukan on the Myanmar side.

Khengjoy is located about 180 km south of Imphal

Residents of Khengjoy go to this trade centre for daily business activities.

They use motorcycles to travel.

They sell vegetables and also buy consumer items from the market.

Likewise, people from Myanmar also regularly come to Khengjoy where they bring consumer items and put up for sale.

"Electricity for this village seems a distant dream even to this day.

We've only bumpy roads.

No other vehicles with the exception of trucks can take any of the jagged roads," Khengjoy chief Tanguthang told Hueiyen Lanpao.

"We've to fetch water from streams by walking almost half a kilometer.

We've no basic amenities," he regretted.

There is no health centre in the village.

The villagers have to go to Chakpikarong Community Health Centre to get healthcare, which is located about 60 km away from Khengjoy.

"Khengjoy has no veterinary dispensary either.

The village has a population of a lottleless than 200 with 30 households," Tanguthang said.

Pupils from Semon, Sehao and Maokot villages are studying at the lone Primary School run under Autonomous District Council (ADC) at Khengjoy.

Chief Minister O Ibobi had in 2011 promised to upgrade the Primary School to a High School.

CM Ibobi's assurance was given during a function at Khengjoy, the village chief recalled.

But this assurance still remains as a false promise.