Sawombung Home reels under stench, flies
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 18 2023: With no proper drainage system for liquid waste generated from kitchens and toilets, an atmosphere of unbearable stench has enveloped the temporary shelter home built and opened by the State Government for displaced persons inside Sawombung CB Block campus, Imphal East.

Around 630 IDPs are staying in the temporary shelter home.

As the liquid wastes generated from the toilets and kitchens are accumulated within the campus in the absence of a proper drainage system, an unbearable stench has enveloped the whole campus and countless number of flies are buzzing round the clock, thereby posing serious health hazards to all the IDPs staying there.

Around 630 people from Ikou, Dolaithabi, Sadu Yengkhonmang, Gwaltabi and Churachandpur have been living in the Sawombung temporary shelter home after their houses were burnt down by Kuki militants and their supporters.

Sawombung Home reels under stench, flies

The prefabricated houses of the shelter home were constructed by the Manipur Police Housing Corporation and they are being managed under the supervision of the Deputy Commissioner, Imphal East.

There was no proper drainage system around the shelter home and no new drains were built when the prefabricated houses were constructed.

Nonetheless, a large pit was dug about 50 feet away from the shelter home so as to channelise the liquid waste coming from the toilets.

The pit is 20 feet wide, 20 feet long and 20 feet deep.

Recently, the Imphal East DC summoned some engineers of Manipur Police Housing Corporation and directed them to look into the problem of liquid waste coming from toilets, sources informed.

The engineers reportedly assured the DC that they would put charcoal, sand and stones into the pit so as to address the problem of stench effectively.

The DC and the engineers also discussed about emptying the pit as soon as it gets filled up using the Imphal Municipal Corporation's septic tank emptier.

After the pit was dug, the Manipur Police Housing Corporation engineers did not put in charcoal, sand and stones for a long time.

In the meantime, there was rainfall and the pit was filled with water.

On the other hand, liquid waste flowing out from the toilets got accumulated around the shelter home as there is no channel to drain them out.

One woman living in the temporary home said that an unbearable stench has enveloped the whole campus and the stench has been attracting countless number of flies.

In addition to the stench, the flies have become a constant nuisance even during the time of having meals, she said.

During the recent rainfall which lasted for a couple of days, water mixed with the liquid waste reached the spot where drinking water is stored inside a plastic tank (Sintex) and large maggots were seen on the tap of the plastic water tank as well as inside the tank.

As such, the plastic tank was emptied out of all the water, she said.

Just north of the temporary shelter home, there is the office of SDPO Sawombung and there is Biramangol College to the East.

The stench coming from the shelter home now reaches the people of Sawombung, students of Biramangol College and staff of SDPO office.

The local people have raised strong complaints, said another woman.

She then appealed to the Government to build a proper drainage system around the shelter home before people there get sick.

She said that some sheds/houses are not getting power supply as the electric wires connected to these sheds got fused.

Even though Government officials who are assigned to look after the shelter home gave their mobile numbers, it took days for them to come to the home after they were called through their mobile numbers, she added.