Summer of Manipur - Nature, a best lesson for the people
- Nature, a best lesson for the people & a strategy to do away with it and make a better State -

By Philip Kamei *

Ever since the attainment of Statehood, the common goals and aspiration of the people is peaceful coexisting among various ethnic groups and development issues being front pages for the Government of Manipur. Yet many things are undone and remain a dream to many. Even after 4-5 decades of attaining Statehood we are lagging behind others States especially in industrial and tertiary sectors of the economy, not much progress is seen here, why???

The 'summer of Manipur' which I would be speaking would be reasonably true in respect of current problems being faced by the people. Just saying we love Manipur is not sufficient; we must work hard, much harder than what we are doing now, in this ever and continuously changing world. We ought to have a sense of sacrifice and commitment toward our duty/work in all walks of our life. There is a saying 'action speaks louder than the word' therefore that would be the only solution left now to reshape our poverty laden State.

Perception of summer in context of Manipur

Summer is defined as the season after spring and before autumn; summer is a season of extremely hot making every one alert and restless. There is hotness every where all around; it is a season having a high temperature producing and making uncomfortable sensation of heat. In such situation we usually think of summer house, summer vacation, and summer school and sometimes we long for green field, gentle breeze, fanning, a cool icy water and soft drinks, and light summer garment etc. I am just addressing this summer issue broadly on the following points:- Hotness meant to me in this manner; Is there a lesson to be learned from nature's law?

What harm has being done to environment and to what extent? Is Population explosion a necessarily evils for all chaos and confusion. Need for Socio-economic infrastructure to raise the State GDP and standard of living.

Nature of conflicts based on identity in the State

Basically, these issues make us open our eyes wider, giving a way to solve some serious socio-economic issues by incorporating with Bible and God and other holy books which go against all vice and preserved the virtues of human value and life on earth. The purpose of life on earth is certain and complete for all human being; once we do the will of God. Selfishness, conflicts, classification, greed, zealous, hatred, wickedness and violent etc are major social dilemma in our society today; we all are distinct and unique but then equal in every respect in the eyes of God.

All human and human right violation need to be closely examined and justice must be done as it is said Justice delay is justice denied. Such elements in true sense give rise to unhealthy environment, creating chaos and confusion in the society. Such happenings can be tackled by talk and negotiation on the table within the wall of the responsible Government.

Let's start spreading the message of goodwill to reshape and rebuilt our motherland; you, me and us ought to be a role model, nothing much is to be expected from the third parties. Taking such path will not be easy but allowing the nature's way to influence us which seems mute yet give life to everyone of us equally without discrimination. It is something we need to imitate and act by applying these noble ideals and maintain cordial relationship in our midst.

Summer heat is unbearably hot; we have been sweating and putting away thick & warm clothes and get on new slim garments. Are these not a lesson to be learnt? We know how to go on adapting the season of summer properly. The Logical explanation is we always try to keep our body feel comfortable as much as we could, how do we view nature of removing clothes, to my understanding the need of the hour in the State is to remove poverty, corruption and unemployment and misunderstanding amidst all different ethnic groups. Attitude of putting on with slim and light clothes that itself is a symbol to change for better. I am more determined to say, hotness of summer and sunshine, are assigned to day to day problems and daily happening in our society and State.

Many things need to be set right and rectified in the best capacity of all individuals. We are all a player and become part of all these games. The real logic behind is slim and thin clothes are something that represent the good part of everybody's talents, every individual possesses either one or two or more. Talents are to be identified, then putting together constantly would be one strategy to say proudly that we transform our State and nations in our own capability. Unity, justice, modernisation, employment and globalisation are all the crux of modem Government.

But this expectation, hope and desire & dream can only be cherished & fulfilled by all of us and not by others??? Wearing light cloth, taking a glass of cool water, refreshing ourselves in the shades of trees and walking in the place where wind and air are blowing are some srt of activities we often do in summer. I am sure Manipur is not lacking in anything, we do have manpower and resources which are yet to optimally used, we only need some strategy and put on the gannent of peace, equality, fraternity, justice and goodwill to maintain as actual human and not to be treated like animals being treated in the slaughter house for selfish and profit motives.

We need to be more conscious about Nature's role which is best teacher for all forms of life, having a brain to reason and by applying our critical mind. The world can be transformed by beautiful mind, ideas rule over the present world. Wisdom and knowledge is needed to solve some toughest problems of our land. It is we who are responsible to problem. Let's not keep the work of development for our posterity to reshape and build our land. We need to fight against all kind of social evils like corruption, violent, class conflict, diseases, poverty and unemployment etc and most importantly shedding of the innocent blood in our land.

NATURE A BEST TEACHER AND ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

Nature do provide us with fresh air, water and land together with sunshine's and yet they ask from us nothing in return and so become a teacher to all of us but to what extend have we destroy the environment say soil erosion, climate change, floods, famines, earthquake, crack of ozone layer and melting of ice and rising sea wave and tide which are the consequence of how human kind have been degrading biological cycle beyond its carrying capacity. The global agenda is sustainable development and environment education as of now.

In Manipur too; particularly, in the hills jhumming have been widely prevailing, it is time we go for other option of livelihood like horticulture, forestry, animal husbandry etc. The released of Co2 by burning down forests for dwelling and jhumming have contributed enough danger to the atmosphere causing pollution. Soil have been depleted and water point got dry up in the hills, vehicles and motors are increasingly growing, traffic got congested C02 are also generated enormously in the urban locality, mostly by old and worn out vehicles, industries, factories etc. And Garbage dumping and improper garbage system is one reason where water and air born diseases are spreading and on the rise.

POPULATON AND UNEMPLOYMENT; YOUTH UNREST IN MANIPUR

Manipur population are growing beyond job accumulation rates, youth becomes unrest and tend to do anything for survival of the fittest or by any mean. These issues have to be address or else future is uncertain. This intensity or hunting for jobs is seen through recruitment for police constable, for peon, chowkider etc, many are running after people don't have option for white collar jobs but humble enough to catch hold of even low profile job, after all jobs and income are what youths are running after.

According to the provisional reports census of India Manipur have 2.72 millions and with 80% literacy rate and density of the population is 122 person sq km and also population in the State are unevenly distributed. These are one area where Government has to look into in policy formation. Tamenglong districts found to be shown lowest and follow by Chandel district in term of population growth.

This is because of low development and fewer opportunities in all sectors to generate employment in the areas and people have to move out to other places in search of better job opportunity. Youth are found indulging in various activities going away from the mainstream and quite many have made their life by joining various insurgent groups. Youth have no choice left and so they becomes a source of life to society or else a parasite to society, it is the task of every civilized citizen to do something for these restless youth in the society.

SOCIO-ECONOMICS INFRASTRUCTURE AND NATURE OF CONFLICTS

Low and weak infrastructure which everybody thinks the engine of growth is one area why? Nature of conflict is seen and many people are working on nature of conflicts around the world, really speaking in absence of socio-economic infrastructure like better education institution, bank, market, hospital, and poor connectivity and communication etc making people feel deprived and drives them to fight for identity and separation. So that some of the dream would be realized, as Amartya Sen a great economist pointed out that 'identity is double edge sword' meaning it cuts from sides, poverty and unemployment also directly or indirectly link with this.

In the hills during pre-colonial days, people are mostly republics, they have their own system of governing, the executive, legislature, and judiciaries were prevailing inside the village domain. But now, India being democracy people have began to assert their rights and gave rise to a conflicting nature base on liberalization, privatization and globalization at the national and global level. If the Government remains mere spectacles to such menace in the society, like Corruption, Nepotism, Favouritism exist in politic of our State, this way many scrupulous politicians creates vote bank for their election. Many times the ignorant masses are misguided.

Time has now ripe for grass root development to be the first priority for Governmental policy formation. Lastly, 'Good Friday' is a day to get buried all sorts of social evils prevailing in our land. Christ - the saviour was being born to us some 2000 years ago and gave up his life so that many men people would have life through him, I wish and hope the summer of Manipur 'the Pandora box' to get buried on good Friday and with Christ resurrection on Easter be a tragedy to bring about light or a ray of hope and peaceful environment to make change and rapid development to in our land. May God bless our land and people? Thanks for going through my thought in this articles.

Mohammad Yunas is one person who work for grass root development in the world by introducing what is called 'Gramin Bank' bank for the poor and especially the women folk and for his work he was awarded the noble peace price in 2006 for his innovative ideas and introduction of mini school loan, Gramin bank's borrower comprises of 97% of mostly women folk and 95% of the banker are poor people such bank can be also introduced in our state to narrow down poverty and unemployment.