Karong continues to remain neglected in all spheres
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, June 19 2025: Karang--India's first cashless island, located in the middle of Loktak Lake is still disconnected and lagging behind in terms of education, healthcare infrastructure and connectivity among others.

Surrounded by water on all sides, the only mode of commute to the island is boats.

The island, measuring some 2 square kilometres only, is located 57 kilometres from Imphal, and falls under the jurisdiction of Keibul police station, Thanga Assembly Constituency in Bishnupur district.

The island has around 400 households with a population of around 4,500.Notably, the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MEITy) in 2017 had declared Karang as India's first cashless island under Digital India programme.

Despite receiving this status and gaining National attention, Karang still remains one of the underdeveloped and neglected villages in Manipur.

During a visit to the island, Karang Island Development Organization (KIDO) secretary, Soibam Kanta told The Sangai Express that successive Governments since many years have ignored and neglected the only island village in Manipur.

The people of Karang, for decades, have not seen any dedicated and special project or programme for the island's development, Kanta said.

The only mode of commute available to the residents is boats.

No Government has so far worked up a plan to construct a bridge which would connect the island to the mainland, Thanga and rest of Manipur, he said.

While commuting by boat is inconvenient in many ways, it consumes time and money.

The motor boats operating on the island water are owned by a private association, Kanta said.

Further, the boat service is unpredictable during the windy season.

The service is usually interrupted and suspended--at times for days, during high wind from September to January every year.

The paths of the boats are often blocked by Phumdi (floating biomass) during this period, Kanta informed.

More importantly, the boat service is not reliable in times of medical and other emergencies, he added.

The residents of Karang island greatly need a reliable and safe transport system.

A bridge connecting Karang with Thanga would ease the daily commute of the residents and address most of the basic needs of the residents, Kanta said.

On the livelihood of the Karang residents, Kanta said the main occupation of the locals is fishing, however, there is very little effort from the Government to improve it.

Before the inception of the Loktak Hydroelectric Project, the residents were engaged in agricultural activities near Chingdompok near Mayang Imphal.

This vast cultivated land on which Karang residents were dependent was submerged under water with the coming of the Loktak Hydroelectric Project, leaving fishery/fishing as the main and only occupation available for earning livelihood, Kanta said.

Fishing has been the main occupation and source of income for the Karang residents, however, this has also been affected by imposition of various laws and regulations, aimed at protecting and preserving the Loktak Lake, he continued.

Under numerous laws and regulations, fishing activities have been restricted to a great extent.

The residents are no longer able to fish in the Lake like they used to, and this has reduced their income, affecting the overall economy of the island, Kanta said.

With a reduced income from fishing, most of the residents are finding it very difficult to provide for their families and send their children to schools, he added.

Kanta said the number of dropouts in the island is very high, citing lack of required infrastructure and a struggling local economy.

The island has an Upper Primary School, an Aided Junior High School and private schools, and one Government High School is under construction.

However, the Government Upper Primary School and the aided school lacks infrastructure and required manpower.

The schools lack teachers, he said.

Only some families of the island are able to send their children to schools in Thanga, Moirang and other places.

Most families can't afford this and they depend on the schools in the island for education, he said.

On healthcare infrastructure, KIDO president Salam Kheda said the island has a lone Primary Health Centre (PHC).

The PHC at present lacks manpower and other medical infrastructure.

It has only one doctor and a Grade IV staff.

The doctor is available only three days in a week, Kheda said.

The construction of staff quarters for doctors and nurses was completed in 2019.However, it has not been inaugurated yet, and hence, the staff are unable to occupy the quarters and stay here, Kheda said.

In cases of medical emergencies, especially at night, the residents face extreme difficulties in transporting patients.

There have been many instances of expecting mothers giving birth on boats while transporting.

Many women have lost their lives due to birth complications on boats without reaching hospitals, Kheda informed.

The residents of Karang are suffering at every level of their lives.

They deserve proper attention from the Government.

They need proper and adequate educational and medical infrastructure.

Most importantly, they need a reliable and safe transport system and connectivity in the form of a bridge that would connect the island with the rest of Manipur, Kheda said.

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