Manipur House At Vellore

By Kh. Chonjohn SinghThe Christian Medical College Hospital (CMC in short), Vellore, founded in 1909 – a gift to the “Tamils – Vellories” in particular and the people of the whole region in general, getting employment of hundreds and thousands of educated youths, males and females, has now become a prestigious hospital of the country, it is a leading hospital where patients from all over its States, and the countries abroad have been pouring into taking treatment of their sickness by admitting themselves either as indoor patients or outdoor patients as according to the nature of their disease and the course or manner of treatment they are receiving.
The Manipuris from the far flung north-eastern border of the country are also taking queue at the CMC for treatment of their disease left out or abandoned by their Manipur or north-eastern regional Medical Institutions, awaiting results of investigations, diagnosis and treatment for weeks, months and even for years by staying themselves (patients and their party) at the private lodges, hotels and restaurants by payment of rents daily, weekly or monthly. They have thus got treatment of different kinds of disease at the CMC during the last many decades. In the case of treatment of individuals from the other north-eastern States, some individuals of such other States like Meghalaya, Mizoram, etc. they have stated about bearing (by re-imbursement) of some percentage of their medical expenses by their respective State Governments whether the patients are Government employees or not.
After some of the north-eastern States have already opened their State House at Vellore, although it was too late for the State of Manipur, upon a series of efforts made by some public spirited individuals and dignitaries of the Social Welfare Department, Manipur, the then Hon`ble Minister (Social Welfare) Shri Korunthang opened and inaugurated the Manipur Guest House (Manipur house or House, in short) on the 17th. day of November, 2006 at Poongansqar, Sathuvachari, Vellore, Thanks for this that it has really given shelter and accommodation to the poor patients and their party from Manipur.
Life of a patient is racked with a dreary round of pain and suffering being overburdened by his economic problems and hardships at all such times of his stress. He is feeling himself to be a burden to his dependants and worse still he feels frustrated. He and his party were all at large seeking accommodation nearby the CMC with no enough space for his or their complete rest and satisfaction bodily and mentally.
Initially, perhaps by lack of knowledge about the location or existence of this Manipur House, for some time after its opening and inauguration, it had no customer The Manipur officials like the Officer-on-Special Duty (OSD) himself had at all times took no pain in making contact with and holding talks to the Manipur patients at CMC to come to and stay at the Manipur House. Those who could convince themselves of the circumstances responded and stayed at this House. It was how this House started functioning, and by now, Manipur patients and their party are on the `Wait List1 for accommodation, some of them staying elsewhere for rooms being vacated and made available to them in this House.
No matter, one with clear knowledge about the Manipur House, stays here or not for his own reason or cause advantageous or disadvantageous to him, if it is a question of distance little far from CMC with auto fare of Rs. 6 + Rs. 5 being spent, as at present, per head to and for, the sum of Rs.300/- or Rs.400/- per day for accommodation at the lodge, hotels or restaurants nearby the CMC, can he effectively managed by payment of Rs.200/-per day for each A.C. room of the Manipur House or Rs. 75/-per day for non-A.C. room of the House having fans with non-stop electricity. There are 11 (eleven) rooms of the same size and design at three different buildings of the Manipur House located in the same compound. Each room consists of two bed rooms with bath room, toilet and kitchen attached. This Manipur House at Vellore is really and practically a paradise for the patients and their party, and above all, non-stop electricity hare at Vellore, except for a short duration sometimes, not daily, as an essential part of right to life is highly appreciated.
As of the context, at this stage when this article touches electricity or states about regularity of electricity at this Manipur House, Vellore, I cannot escape and/or skip over the chance to tell you about the worse alarming situation of load-sheding in Manipur for days, weeks and even for months together continuously as a regular feature of life for the last sixty years after independence, as if we are all victims of `black-out` – presently making it (electricity) available along the domestic lines for 2 or 3 hours a day that also on alternate day, and consequently, not speaking about other disadvantages, the mobile phones at home remain inoperative or not workable for want of re-charge. Supposing, if, by a special arrangement, a power line is provided from Manipur direct to this Manipur House at Vellore, the patients would cry for candles and next morning they all would flee this House. No one is expected to stay here without either non-stop A.C. or fan because of the extreme climate of this region.
One Mr. Nayar, O.S.D. of the Manipur House from the Manipur Secretariat pool (who is said to be of the Manipur Bhavan category) is the only State Government Officer available and working here as both the officer and the peon (grade IV-attendant) for himself although there are two local Tamil Women Workers (attendants, in one sense) of the House as being engaged or retained on casual basis – one as a cook-cam-room in-charge for washing of bad sheets and window screens and the other as sweeper.
One casual clerk from Manipur was once working in the Manipur House as appointed by the Social “welfare Department for about two years but he has already left service about ten months ago but no substitute has yet been sent or deputed here in his place. Non-appointment or non-deputation 01 an assistant(grade-III/IV) for this House is a serious handicap to the functioning of the House quite disadvantageous to the patient-customers. The two women attendants are available during day time only, not at nights patients-customers have come to and they have to go away from the House at any time, day and night, as according to their railway and flight schedules, and as such, at all such times of their arrival and departure, an official of the House is very much necessary to be present in the office or at and nearby the room so that there may not be any complaint about shortage of luggage or any belongings of either side.
With no State budget provisions or any plan or non-plan estimates for running this Manipur House at Vellore unlike the other Manipur Bhavans elsewhere in other States, one would be really shocking and worried with apprehension of the House being shut down or closed at any time without any consequential responsibility on the part of bureacracy of the Government of Manipur or of its Social Welfare Department. This House is run only by its meagre income being the rent collections from the customers even to the extent of acquisition of one Maruti Van by or in the name of the House. This is a credit of the management. In the case of emergency for immediate admission of the patients to the CMC at night, the van can be used by the patients by payment of the requisite fares (hiring charge) under the supervision and control of the OSD. But the difficulty being faced by the management is non-appointment or non-availability of driver for the van at any time. No driver can be made ready for the van without payment of pay or salary or honorarium. The Meghalaya House at Vellore has got two official drivers for their two vehicles and the Mizoram House has also got driver of their House vehicle.
Moreover, on the other hand, many chances for acquisition of more rooms (same size, extent and design as of the present eleven rooms) by the Government of Manipur, as left and sold out by the owners in the same buildings at Poonganagar, Vellore, have been lost. Some rooms of the same buildings of the Manipur House still seem lying vacant.
 More rooms may be acquired if the Government of Manipur is really interested in the functioning and maintenance of the Manipur House at Vellore for accommodation of the overwhelming number of Manipur patients at Vellore.
In view of the precious services of the Manipur House so far made available to the Manipur patients-customers, simple question that emerges here at this juncture is why the General Administration department (G.A.D.) should not take over and manage the Manipur House at Vellore as those of the Manipur Bhavans elsewhere, or at least, why this house should not be upgraded to the status of Manipur Bhavan under the supervision and/or administrative control of the GAD for all round development and accountability of the House in all respect.
Everyone of you whether from up in the hills of Manipur down to the Imphal Valley all along the streams covering all districts, are all welcomed to the Manipur House at Vellore whenever you are in need for proper accommodation here at or during your medical treatment at Vellore, and let us join hands to uphold the basic value of this House as that of the Manipur Bhavans func¬tioning in other States.
Whatever the prevailing circumstances of this Manipur House may be, as of now, during the last about one year or so, the Department of Social Welfare, Manipur sometimes used to writs “letters of permission” for the Manipur patients and their party, requesting the O.S.D. of the Manipur House, vellore for reservation of rooms for them subject to availability of room. The letter of the Department is used to be addressed to the o.S.D. of a nonexistent “Women Shelter Home, Vellore” instead of addressing the same to the O.S.D. of Manipur Guest House as usual. Letter dated 12.4.2011 of the Department has been addressed to the OSD of Woman Shelter Home, Vellore while its subsequent letter dated 27.4.2011 has been addressed to the OSD of Manipur Guest House, Vellore. All subsequent letters of the Department are now used to be addressed to the OSD of Women Shelter Home.
 What, is the intent and purposes of the Department to address or to name the Manipur Guest House, Vellore as Women Shelter Home, Vellore ? If it is named as a Women Shelter Home, whether any women from Tamil Nadu or any other States of India, not only of Manipur, can occupy the House as a place for their shelter ? Is there decision of the State Government of Manipur to name the Manipur Guest House at Vellore as Women Shelter Home, Vellore ? If not so, this practice of the Department addressing its letters to the OSD of Women Shelter Home deserves to be dropped and withdrawn forth with . Lot it not be doubted about the existence of any hidden agenda or secrecy of somebody to convert the Manipur Guest House, Vellore to a private/autonomous institution calling it as “Women Shelter Home”.
Some people say as if defending this Department for its issuance of the said letters to the OSD of Women Shelter Home that initially before opening the House, proposal of the Department was for opening the same House as Women Shelter Home and therefore, the letter may have been issued as intended. Emphatically “no”, everybody would not accept such a style of functioning and no such a practice can be followed at the choice or whims of one officer or the ether of the Department. Change of name of the House shell be upon the decision of the State Government .The House has been sc named, opened and inaugurated as Manipur Guest House, Vellore. It still remains functioning as such. Normal duty should be as to how the House be made improved not to confuse its existence and functioning.
Let credibility of the Department be ensured with maintenance of public confidence ell along, and at the same time, the Government of Manipur be urged to entrust the Manipur Guest House, Vellore to the GAD and to upgrade its status as Manipur Bhavan.