KANGPOKPI | September 24
The Eco-Tourism Complex at Thangal Surung, the historical birth place of Thangal General, in Saikul Sub Division under Sadar Hills administrative jurisdiction in Senapati district has been reduced to a mere and an absurd structure.
Expressing deep disappointment over the issue, Kuki Students’ Organization Saikul Gamkai, Thangal Students’ Union and Thangal Surung Village Authority drew the attention of the government and concerned authority to complete the construction work according to the guideline.
KSO Saikul Gamkai and Thangal Students’ Union with the village chief today inspected the Eco-Tourism Complex constructed at a cost of Rs. 310.85 lakh under the Ministry of Tourism, government of India and construction initiated by the Manipur Development Society (MDS) since 4/5 years back.
Speaking to media persons on the sidelines of the inspection, Thangal Surung village Chief K Gongrisim Thangal said that the complex at Thangal Surung is one among 28 various tourism projects sanctioned by Ministry of Tourism and constructed by MDS since 2010-11.
He continued that the concerned authority had sanctioned Rs. 310.85 lakhs in 2010-11 and the targeted date for completion of the work was scheduled on 30 April, 2015.
He further said that a market shed, an open stage, a cafeteria and few numbers of rest house/sheds have been constructed but the work agency culminated the construction without fully completing the work. He said there is no toilet constructed in the open stage as per the guideline.
He also pointed out that there is also no inspection of the complex by director (Tourism) so far as per the review meeting on tourism projects being implemented in the state on February 14, 2015 in the cabinet hall of the Chief Minister’s Secretariat with Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh in the chair.
Therefore, we appeal to the government and concerned authority to conducted joint inspection of the Eco-Tourism Complex and initiate satisfactory measures to complete the work with quality as well as to inaugurate the complex at the earliest, said the village Chief.
Meanwhile, Thangal Surung village chief also said that Police Out Post sanctioned at the village few years back also remained only in theory so far while the PHSC which had been declared 24×7 services by the state Health Director, Dr Ibomcha, has remained closed for 24×7 since last year.
While drawing the immediate attention of the state Government, KSO Saikul Gamkai urges the concerned authority and state Government to intervene into matter and complete the Eco-Tourism Complex as per the Ministry guidelines while taking punitive actions against the work agency who left the construction in such an insulting condition.
The student body further said any development projects or schemes undertaken under Saikul Sub Division should be implemented with quality and the concerned work agency must adhere to the respective guidelines while adding that the student body will not remain mute spectators over such besmirched activities.
Thangal Surung village is located about 31 Km from Imphal via Imphal-Saikul road while it is around 10 Km away from National Highway 2 via Sapormeina-Saikul road.
Apart from the historical importance of the village being the birth place of the Thangal General, the original location of the village which lies in the hill top of present village has a cave or ‘Surung’ in the local dialect and it is traditionally believed that if a hen is drop in the cave during that time, it came out in the campus of the then Manipur Maharaja in Imphal.
Though, the Ministry of Tourism sanctioned an Eco-Tourism Complex in the village, the cave or ‘Surung’ still lies unpreserved about 10 Km away from the current location of the village, lingering in the mediocre attention of the state Government and the concerned department while a motorable road from the current village to the Cave, which was initiated few years back had also been culminated already.
