IDPs at Lamboikhongnangkhong yearn bigger living space
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 23 2024: Saying that the rooms being provided to them are too tight for even three-four people to share, the internally displaced families taking refuge at the Lamboikhongnangkhong relief camp have urged the Government to give them temporary accommodation having at least three rooms.

It is reported that most of the people taking refuge at the Lamboikhongnangkhong relief camps are from Kangpokpi.

The relief camp currently has 686 inmates out of which about 400 are from Motbung and Kalapahar in Kangpokpi while the rest are from Moreh, Serou, Sugnu and Churachandpur.

According to the inmates staying at the relief camp set up at Manipur Trade and Expo Centre at Lamboikhongnangkhong, the rooms being provided to each displaced family measure only about 120 square feet on average.

IDPs at Lamboikhongnangkhong yearn bigger living space

They also said that managing a family with the amount they get from the State Government as daily allowance is very difficult.

The inmates said that they get Rs 80 from the Government as a daily allowance and another Rs 15 as remuneration for children.

The Sangai Express went to the relief camp to assess the living conditions of the inmates there and also to interact with them.

Hirom Ningthem, an IDP, narrated the ordeal they went through on May 3, 2023 after Kukis in Kangpokpi, both armed and unarmed, started attacking them and their properties.

He also spoke about the inconveniences they have been enduring at the relief camp for over 15 months without knowing when they can return home.

Ningthem said that each room being provided to the displaced family at Lamboikhongnangkhong is too small for four-five people to share.

Saying that all the rooms being provided to displaced families at the relief camp are too small and measure only about 120 square feet on average, he added that all of them, however, have been using the tiny space allotted to them as their respective kitchens as well as bedrooms.

He appealed to the Government to give each family at the relief camps more rooms so that their children could get some space to study.

The Government has started depositing money to the bank accounts of inmates from Serou and Sugnu to expedite their resettlement and the same is a welcome step, Ningthem said and appealed to the State Government to take up a similar initiative for the displaced families from Kangpokpi too.

Saying that the situation is not safe for Meeteis from Motbung, Sapermeina and Kalapahar to return to their places, he further appealed to the Government to build separate houses for each of the Meetei family from Kangpokpi having at least three rooms.

He said that they won't complain even if the temporary houses are built with wood or bamboo as long as they get at least three rooms.

The houses can be built at Lamboikhongnangkhong or some other places, Ningthem said.

Ningthem said that they however don't want to live at the prefabricated houses set up by the Government as the same are also congested.

About daily expenditure, Ningthem said that the daily allowance they receive from the Government is too low.

Saying that they get Rs 95 from the Government as daily allowance to look after the needs of their families (including Rs 15 for children) apart from rice, the IDP continued that running a family with the amount is very difficult as "we cannot eat rice alone" and as there are other expenditures to be made on buying household items, vegetables and transportation fare for children going to schools.

Expressing desire for the Government to increase the daily allowance by at least Rs 150, Ningthem said that the problem being faced by displaced families will be solved to some extent if their allowance is increased.

Meanwhile, Ningthem urged the Government to release the Rs 1 lakh compensation which Chief Minister N Biren Singh repeatedly assured to give to the victims as soon as possible.

Acknowledging that the Chief Minister has been taking up different initiatives for the well-being of the displaced people, Ningthem appealed to the Government to make sure the benefit of the welfare initiatives reach them on time.

He also expressed desire for the Government to look after the people at relief camps until the issue is resolved.

"We won't raise unnecessary demand but at least provide us with the essential items to survive until there is normalcy in the State," he said.