IMPHAL, Jan 9: Even with the Congress led SPA government crying hoarse making tall claims on developmental achievements in the hill districts, the Zeliangrong Student’s Union, Senapati unit has alleged misuse of government funds and schemes of the government in Senapati district in general and areas inhabited by Zelianrong communities in particular.
The union has further alleged that even though the work order for PMGSY 2007 was released on March 31, 2007 meant for the road connecting Kangpokpi to Thonglang which is a 18 km long stretch remains untouched by the concerned authorities despite the fund meant for the constructions of these road has already been sanctioned by the government.
It may be mentioned that the road connecting Kangpokpi from Thonglang along the IT road acts as one of the life lines for the villagers living along the IT road and as such the villagers had made frequent complaints to the state government regarding the maintenance of the road which resulted in the state government awarding the construction work to two contractors since 2008, who had since then started some construction works.
It also mentioned that, the construction works along this road from 0-10kms was handled by one local contractor K Asuli who had completed WBM, while another contractor Iboyaima Agency who took responsibilities of alignment of the road from 10-18 Kms left mid way of the alignment work following an argument with the villagers, alleged the union.
On the other hand the Zeliangrong Students’ Union, Senapati Zone, Manipur had already submitted their representations to the chief engineer PMGSY, Govt. of Manipur during the first part of last year requesting for issuing of detail Project Report (DPR). In which the union mentioned that, the union have conducted intensive tour of all Zeliangrong villages of Senapati district and observed that development works/project which is underway in the Zeliangrong area specially cutting of roads under PMGSY is beyond satisfaction of the public, especially to the locals.
The spokesperson of the ZSU, Senapati Zone, L. Stephen Makuimei further told the IFP that, in addition to the complete negligence of the concerned authorities to look into the development of the only life line, the union has also made a series of complaints over the irregularities in the implementation of the works under SPA in the areas for the year 2006-07 and 2007-08 especially for the improvement of IT road covering the length of 0-51kms starting from Kangpokpi to Chalwa village, in this connection the union has sought official reply from the PWD department through RTI but no responses has been made officially so far.
He further mentioned that, the recent intensive tour conducted by the ZSU Senapati initiated before the last Christ-mass and covered all 48 villages inhabited by the Zeliangrong communities and it have been found that only 10 villages are provided with water supply facilities while the rest have to depend on the natural streams for water. The union further maintained that the existing difficulties and grievances of the people regarding supply of water could have been solved if the water supply schemes at Thonglang which was constructed in 2007 with an estimated cost of Rs.22 lakhs was made to functional properly by the PHED Kanpokpi Division.
Regarding the health care facilities of all the villagers of 48 villages along the IT road, the spokesperson mentioned that, the only Primary Health Sub-Centre (PHSC) at Thonglang Akutpa which is the only health centre in the vicinity of the 48 villages, but it is very unfortunate that, the very PHSC at Thonglang Akutpa had been lying defunct since 1994, following the improper maintenance and absence of doctors and staffs nurses, and subsequent occupation of the centre by the Maha Regiment earlier and now the centre has been occupied by the personnel of 10 Dogra Regiments. Now the entire, villagers along the IT road have been relying for treatment at the Community Health Centre at Kanpokpi by traveling through ill fated roads of IT, he added.
The union has further alleged that the government has also failed in providing education to the children of the areas, with only Thonglang Akutpa Junior High School remaining to impart education to the children of the area. The government has also totally failed in maintaining the said junior school which imparts education to more than 170 students. He further alleged that the school has six teachers, but the infrastructure of the school is pathetic, with only the bamboo mats remaining as the walls of the school
The spokesperson further mentioned that, realizing the fact that the existing, apathy of the concerned authorities into the areas was mainly caused by the existing dispute over the demarcation of the block and revenue district jurisdictions between the Senapati and Tamenglong district, the matter has to be made clear by the concerned authorities so to avoid further grievances of the people of the area in the future.
