Laishram Ranbir
Imphal, June 7: Even after 70 years of Independence, people of Azurama, a remote village in Tamenglong district, Manipur, had never seen competent government authorities or the elected representatives visiting the village.
Namsulin Kamei, Chairman of Azuram Village, while talking to Imphal Times wanders if any of the Ministers or MLAs of the Manipur Legislative Assembly knows that there is village called Azuram in Tamenglong district.
A part of the road which connects #Azuram with #Tamenglong Town, Manipur.
Posted by KanglaOnline – Gateway to North East India on Thursday, May 18, 2017
Change of government makes no difference, as conditions remain the same, the village chief added.
Azuram village is about 110 Km from Imphal, and is about 11 Km from Tousem sub divisional headquarter. The district head quarter is just 27 Km from the village.
Most of the villagers speak Meiteilon (Manipuri) and Zeliangrong Language and as for religion, they follow Christianity.
“During campaign for the 11th State Assembly Election, NPF candidate Awangbou Newmai who is now an MLA once visited Azuram village to woo his voters and since then he haven’t shown up despite knowing the conditions of the village mainly in transportation, electric supply, etc”, said the chairman of the village.
The village is home to 1030 people of 197 houses with an average of 5 persons each in every family. Even though the village is not far from the Tamenglong District head quarter, it took almost one day to reach the village due to the dilapidated road condition.
Talking to Imphal Times a villager said that, government had installed an electric transformer in 2006 but the village get electricity only two times in December 2016 and January 2017.
Health care facility to the village is a far away dream. After the country celebrates 70 years of Independence there has not been a single health care center in the village. Thanks to the nearby army post at least the villagers get first aid treatment in case of emergency.
A team of Royal Riders Manipur (RRM), recently conducted a free medical camp in the village. Villagers said this is the second medical camp witness by the villagers in 70 years, the first being conducted by state health department years back.
Apart from all the trouble, Paddy rice, maize, potato, cabbage, cereals are the main economic crops of the village where rice is the staple food. Poultry and fishery are common as well as orange cultivation of the Azuram village, established on November 12, 1947.
