Crossroad - My New Discovery - Aizawl, Churanchandpur and Imphal
- Part 2 -

S.Manglemjao Singh *

Churachandpur Landscape :: Pix - Nongmai

"The sky is so high, but my father is higher,
the mother earth is so heavy,
But my mother is much heavier".
Ancient Meitei proverb

CHURANCHANDPUR: The second largest town, a growing city in the southern Manipur situated at a distance of 64 km from the state capital of Imphal and at a distance of about 280 km via Parbung-Tipaimukh and only about 180 km via Singhat-Sinzawl from Aizawl. The legendry National Highway No.150 running from Churachandpur to Aizawl via Parbung is very long and hazardous and Churachandpur-Aizawl Road via Singhat-Sinzawl (Singhat to Sinzawl is known as Guite Road).

The town of Churachandpur have great future prospects for its development, as it is located: 1. On a vast rolling plain just on the foothills of southern Manipur. 2. Other areas are highly mountainous and very difficult for road making and any other kind of development. 3. Even though there are some small spaces inside the district the area is too small for future development. Therefore from all these reasons "Torbung-Churachandpur Plains Region" along the Khuga River will remain the most prospective area for urban and for any other service location and planning in the District of Churachandpur. During the recent years Churachandpur has grown in a proportions which is beyond expectation due certain reasons, which brings many people, inclusive of all the ethnic groups together inside this town and becoming a cosmopolitan town, i.e. a growing city.

Khuga Dam and its impact to Churachandpur Town : When the Khuga Dam project is fully commissioned there will not be any dearth of water both drinking and agricultural including horticultural. By that time Churachandpur town shall immediately turn into a big city, which shall be far ahead of Imphal and Aizawl as there are abundant area for further expansion, as well as there are many other natural advantages which favors Churachandpur.

But the most important factor for rapid change in any area is not only the natural advantages but the people living in that particular area should also have the capacity to adapt with changes provided by the new facility and also to have the knowledge and the tolerance to accommodate the newly influx of men with new services which will make the town into a big city.

For example, in Karnataka in and around Bangalore city many services are located including the services provided by foreign multi national, and the Government of Karnataka did their best to provide the land to those industrialists so that the services provided by the these industries will directly benefit the people of Karnataka. Therefore the city of Bangalore is booming as the Great Industrial Hub in the south which is now regarded as the 'Silicon Valley of India'.

When electricity is provided to this town uninterruptedly, then why not Churachandpur grow far ahead of any other cities in the country? Presently due to serious lack of supply of power and water Churachandpur suffer in many ways such as:
1. No one can have an industry major and minor due to the lack of power, Lack of power has tremendously reduce the working hour/capacity of a man,Supply of water and power is inter related; and in the modern way of advanced life power is the most essential need of man and without which life is unthinkable. Hence we should think for an alternative for regular supply of power so that the people of Churachandpur can join in the new 21st Century Computer Era., where all the boys and girls can work here itself for American firms and enjoy good salary by sitting in a small room and earned a lot of foreign exchange and can travel foreign tours easily.

Thangjing Mountain Escarpment:

One can see a very distinct and interesting feature which can be known as Thangjing (Thang Ching) Escarpment, which is a series of high steep slope or cliff separating the Henglep Hills from the plains of Manipur (The Central Plains). Many small steams rises from the Henglep Hills and runs small streams/rivulets towards Loktak Lake. (Lok means small stream on the ridges of the Hills and Tak means ending place). "Loktak" suggests the ending place of such rivulets originated from the surrounding uplands.

If we can tapped the water of these rivulets there shall not be any dearth of water to any of the villages located just down below this Thangjing Escarpment and we can develop this rolling surface of Turbung- Churachandpur Region along the Imphal Tiddim Road as one of the finest and most prosperous horticultural farms in the whole of North-East India and can turn this area as the fruit bowl of Manipur.

Tourism Prospects Of Churachandpur: Now the Khuga Project and its Dam area is becoming a good spot for tourists as the Dam area is becoming an artificial lake. If some motor boat and some manual boat are provided there shall be great attraction of tourists in the newly created artificial lake. This dam is located on Churachandpur-Aizawl Road via Singhat, this road should be improved without delay so that people can travel through this road without hardship. I can say that Churachandpur-Aizawl Road popularly known as Guite Road Singhat to Sinzawl is one of the most attractive in the whole of South East Asia as it passes through one of the most attractive jungles of the region. On the other hand rehabilitation works of displaced people should be looked after in the proper manner. If Churachandpur-Aizawl Road via Singhat is black topped many recreations and local tourists will travel along this road as green water course of Khuga River can be seen up to the border of Mizoram and Myanmar.

Orchards and Horticultural farms around Churachandpur: When there is adequate supply of water by Khuga Dam around Churchandpur there shall be abundant orchards and horticultural farms which will make Churachandpur more attractive and people from Aizawl and Imphal will flow into this town for recreation, that will surely benefit Churachandpur.

The proper development of Loktak Lake and its Islands will benefit Churachandpur in many ways. As tourism can't be developed in isolation of a particular place we have to develop in a chain of tourist spots in a region. We have to see other prospective tourists' area in the region. Loktak is the largest fresh water lake in the North Eastern Region and one of the most attractive spots which can be turned into one of the best tourists spot in the world as "Keibul Lamjao National Park", the wild life sanctuary is located within the lake region, the home to the world famous Sangai the brow antlered deer- also known as the dancing deer. Churachandpur is very close to it.

Moirang: Indian National Army (I.N.A.) Memorial and a land of great legend:- Loktak and history of Moirang are inter related. The revered legend of Khamba and Thoibi with their legend of seventh incarnations and their love story is still narrated by the waves of Loktak Lake and its cool breeze blowing around Kwakta; and Torbung area still reverberates about the capture of tiger in those days. All these areas are near by Churachandpur only.

Imphal : The Japanese Army Officers who penetrated inside Manipur during the II World War described in their own languages as "Takane no ha na" literary meaning-very tempting but impossible to possess. At that time Imphal was very small but neat and clean and remain as gem in this hilly terrain with full of evergreen forest surroundings. Now greater Imphal with a population of about 4 lakhs turns into one of the most dirtiest cities/towns in the country where there is no proper supply of two most important things (basic needs) of modern life i.e. drinking water and power (electricity).

No NGO no club no organisations is thinking about their worse drainage system where the water from the drainage which connects with their latrines are flowing on the roads/streets. The roads inside the town area remain dark when the sun set in the western sky. There is none in this city who think about these basic issues as these people are very busy in thinking about many unnecessary and unimportant matters as they don't now the idea of first things first.

There are thousands of organisations/clubs/associations established with certain objectives but these organizations can not see other perspectives except their own objectives under which they established their organization. This myopic stubborn behaviour has made Manipur the least in annual growth in comparison to its sisters state. If we can give up this stubborn behaviour immediately Manipur can turn into a "Paradise on earth" as others say a little paradise.


*** This article was written in 2007 when the author was SP/Churachandpur

Concluded..