Imphal, May 18: Though several areas and villages of the State have been complaining of irregularities in distribution of PDS items, Mapao Khullen village has never received any single PDS item since it came into existence.

Though the village is located within Senapati district, it is just 3 kms from Awang Leikinthabi.

Mapao Khullen, after witnessing and suffering the brunt of ethnic clash in 1990, receives little attention from the Government in all aspects of development and public welfare.

The woes of the villagers came to light when a team of the United Committee Manipur and media persons visited the village today.

After being ravaged during the ethnic conflict, the village could not establish itself properly till 1998.Non-availability of PDS items, absence of school building, two hand pumps for water requirements and dilapidated road condition summed up the backward status of the village.

Inhabited by about 350 people, majority of them belonging to the Tangkhul tribe, Mapao Khullen village is endowed with pure atmosphere and large fertile fields capable of producing different kinds of crops and vegetables abundantly.

During their visit to the village today, the UCM team held a meeting together with village elders, representatives of women's organisation and village authority.

Addressing the gathering, UCM president Konsam Langamba observed that everybody has now realised the negative impact of mistrust between different communities communities which resulted from unhealthy politics of some leaders.

Stressing on the inevitability of living together, Langamba said that all essential commodities should be distributed equally to all the people and that development should be uniform.

On the complaint of non-availability of PDS items in Mapao, he assured that the UCM together with the village authority would ask the FCS officials on the matter.

Langamba called upon the people to focus on agriculture and horticulture instead of counting on impractical Khansari sugar mill, vanaspati factory and spinning mills.

UCM would organise a training programme on agriculture and horticulture at Mapao, he said.

He also decried the failure of the Government to take any rehabilitation measure for the people affected by communal clash.

To help construct an office of the Mapao village authority, the UCM president donated six bundles of GI sheet besides one UV film used in preparing seedlings and saplings.

The meeting was also addressed by Mapao village chairman KR Mayonpam, village secretary A Mungrei and social activist from Ukhrul Dharmasing Kashung.

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