Ranjit helps set up village for IDPs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 27 2024: A village christened Serou Konok Thengra Leikai has been set up under the aegis of Sugnu AC MLA K Ranjit to settle the internally displaced people (IDP) who have nowhere to return to after their houses were torched by Kukis amid the crisis besetting Manipur.

Located near the adjoining areas of Serou and Sugnu near Serou Thongkhong, the village was set up on private land measuring five pari (local unit of land measurement) bought by Ranjit for future use in the name of Sugnu Development Committee (SDC) .

Landless denizens of Sugnu and Serou who used to take shelter at the place of relatives or other places after the mayhem of May 3, 2023 will be settled at the new village dedicated for IDPs, said the MLA.

Ranjit helps set up village for IDPs

It is reported that land distribution has begun to construct the houses.

A management/construction committee has also been constituted to oversee the construction of the houses.

Speaking to the media while inspecting the area, K Ranjit said that they decided to name the land dedicated to IDPs as Serou Konok Thengra Leikai taking the name of Konok Thengra who is one of the Maichou Tarets of Manipur (spiritual leaders) .

He said that altogether 44 houses will be constructed first.

Of the 44, 17 houses will be for families whose houses have been torched by Kukis while the remaining 27 will be for families who used to live at khasland or at relative places, he added.

Saying that the houses will be constructed in an equal manner by hiring an architect, the MLA added that he will extend monetary assistance in constructing the houses instead of relying only on the Government so that the houses can be built properly.

Ranjit continued that he will make Serou Konok Thengra Leikai a modern village.

Saying that an inter village road, community hall, crematorium, public toilet facility and a small playground will also be built at the new village, he added that the residents will also be given water supply and a power facility.

People from Serou and Sugnu who used to take refuge elsewhere have also started returning to their respective places, he added.

The MLA, meanwhile, said that Sugnu-Serou and Kuki, Anal and Meitei villages in the adjacent areas didn't see any case of violence for 24 days even after the onset of Manipur violence on May 3, 2023 as the village chiefs and representatives formed a peace committee to prevent all forms of hostility among the people.

He also said it was the peace committee which prevented violence for 24 days at Sugnu-Serou and adjacent places at Kakching, Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Chandel despite the areas having mixed populations.

Saying that Kuki militants under Suspension of Operation (SoO) pact, however, made the effort of the peace committee futile by attacking Sugnu and Serou in the wee hours of May 28 at around 2.30, he added that Kuki militants torched many houses and killed people on that fateful day.