More About Moreh: Moreh, the 20th July, 2011

By Lunminthang Haokip *

The new yet-to-be-inaugurated Moreh ADC Office building

Heavy Downpour: Like the bad preacher, the monsoon rain keeps on drizzling and does not know when to stop. For the salaried class, rain or no rain, regular income is ensured. but what about the majority of the 30 thousand odd populace of the border town who have to slog on day-to-day basis to keep both ends meet?

Endless downpour is welcomed with joy by agriculturists anywhere. But in a trading town like Moreh where residents survive on non-agricultural means of earning livelihood like masonry, manual stone-crushing, timber sales, Thela-pulling, bamboo-shoot plucking etc, raining means forced rest with restless mind.

Wake-Up Call: The darkest hour no more is just before dawn at Moreh. The morning begins with the Light of life. Every day, in the wee hours, four loudspeakers fitted to blare towards all directions atop prayer-mount near Moreh helipad in Ward no. 8, deliver live Gospel messages and recorded hymns for all who care to listen in dialects and languages spoken locally.

The speakers, mostly local pastors and Evangelists from across the border, take turns to preach every couple of days. The upkeep and management of the Sermon-centre is taken care of by a voluntary Ministry called Goshen Ministry. The amoral citizenry may take the early-morning messages as a case of forced-feeding but the discerning Christian laps up every line of heavenly truths one can hear without moving a leg while lying half-sleepy on bed.

Fox-trotting Development: Thanks to more responsible District administration backed by recharged Law & Order-enforcing authorities, Moreh had almost forgotten the tragic incidents of 1993 and 2007. New Guest houses, office buildings CSO offices, International gates and decent private houses had mushroomed in various corners of Tamu's poorer twin-town.

Yet, when it comes to overall urban appearance, Moreh is decades behind the well-planned north-west Myanmarese border settlement. However, under the special attention of the respected Chief Secretary of Manipur, Shri D.S. Poonia,

And loud flows Menal river

Lunminthang Haokip

* Lunminthang Haokip, a resident of Old Lambulane, Imphal and posted at Moreh, Manipur is a regular contributor to e-pao.net. He can be contacted at lunminthang(dot)haokip(at)gmail(dot)com or his blog here
This article was webcasted on July 25, 2011.