Kharasom seeks remedy after destruction of lone water source
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Mamang

Ukhrul, February 18 2023: The village of Kharasom in northern Ukhrul is in a state of privation after youths from the neighbouring Chingjaroi village destroyed their lone water source over land dispute.

The incident took place on Friday, when prohibitory order under Section 144 of the CrPc was in force.

The residents of Kharasom are now struggling to meet their daily water needs.

Briefing media persons at the village on Saturday, Kharasom village 'mantri' Anderson Horam claimed that an uncountable number of youths from Chingjaroi village had destroyed two water source tanks worth Rs 6 lakh and the entire pipeline spanning 5 km worth Rs 10 lakh which were the only means of water supply for Kharasom villagers.

Horam further appealed to chief minister N Biren to take action against the culprits, restore their water supply and also look into the hardships of the villagers at the earliest.

He added that the incident happened on Friday despite the district magistrate Ukhrul imposing the prohibitory order on February 16.This has left the residents of Kharasom without access to water for the last three days.

They have been forced to rely on alternative sources of water from the village river which is around 10 km from the village habitation.

This has caused immense hardships to the villagers, he said.

Horam also alleged that that apart from this the Chingjaroi youths also burnt down a house and pipeline and fish ponds barbed wire fence belonging to Runmi Zimik, cut down and stolen around 150 pine trees about 40 truckloads worth Rs 30 lakh from a reserved pine forest and destroyed a lemon farm with around 300 live saplings planted under MGNREGA in 2022 and also physically injured Chihanmi Vashum.

He related that a heated confrontation broke out between the two villages on February 16 over a long-running land dispute, after that a large number of youths from Chongjaroi village armed with guns entered the disputed land and took positions by setting up bunkers there as if to launch a war against the Kharasom villagers.

The stand-off which took place at Allurum spot, Kharasom CV was brought under control with the timely intervention from Raphei Wungnao and chiefs of Tusom, Wahong and other neighbouring villages, he said.

Horam mentioned that in view of the possible escalation of tension and law and order issue, the DM Ukhrul had announced the prohibitory order on February 16 covering the entire area of the two villages.

However, while Kharasom villagers honoured the prohibitory order and remained calm, the Chingjaroi youths took advantage of the same and executed the destructive activities on Friday, he contended.

Pointing out that adequate deployment of security forces was delayed by a day, Horam lamented that only five police personnel from Jessami were deputed on the day and reinforcement team arrived at the village only on the next day after destruction had been done.

According to Horam, the disputed site is about 1/2 km in area and six rounds of talk have been held between the two villages to resolve the land dispute since September 2022 with the last held on December 29, 2022.However, as the two sides failed to reach an agreement with each differing on their proposals for the demarcation, the last talk agreed to leave things as status quo pending a final solution.

He also stressed that the spot Khoirilok/Kashingzah is the ancestral boundary between the two villages, as agreed between the two sides since 1910-11.However, Chingjaroi village has now breached the agreement and started claiming some 300 metres more beyond the agreed boundary.

On Saturday, a security team of 20 personnel from 6th MR has arrived and replaced the police team to guard the village.

It can be mentioned that Kharasom village is located about 85 km north of Ukhrul town along the Ukhrul-Jessami NH-202 and has 410 households combining three of its habitations namely Kharamsom CC, Kharasom Lazo and New Kharasom .

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