Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 30:
The Northern Raphei Students' Union (NRSU), Ukhrul district has alleged the State and the Central Govts of neglecting the people living in villages situated along the international border of India and Myanmar.
The utter neglect of this area and its people by the State and the Central Govts has caused irreparable damage and would continue to create political, economic and environmental instabilities, the students' body said in a memorandum submitted to the Chief Minister.
Highlighting the difficulties being faced by the people due to lack of basic civic facilities in the area, the memorandum asserted that the State authorities has been ignoring the demands made by various students' organisations for providing proper school building and sufficient teaching staff.
With regard to power supply, the memorandum pointed out that most of the Northern Raphei Tangkhul villages have not received electricity connection till date.
Although the foundation for a power station at Namrej village was laid way back in 2000 by the then Power Minister, no progress has been seen for the last five years.
On lack of medical facilities, the memorandum noted there are three dispensaries in the North Raphei Tangkhul area, but none of these dispensaries have the required infrastructures like building, medicine, medical staff and doctors.
The people had no option but to take the patients to Ukhrul district Hospital for medical treatment.
The memorandum further said, although the NH 150 passed through the North Raphei Tangkhul villages, not a single suspension bridge has been constructed to facilitate movement of the people.
Moreover, out of the 19 villages only 4/5 villages have been provided with Wireless Local Loop (WLL) facilities.
But this also does not function properly, the memorandum complained.
Observing that water is essential for survival of the people, the memorandum lamented that, there is no facility for water supply in the se remote villages.
There are many Centrally sponsored schemes for the development of the rural areas/underdeveloped remote villages, but the benefits such schemes has not been made available to the needed villages along the international border, the memorandum rued.
No villages in the area has a proper playground despite that fact that there are many talented sports persons, the memorandum said, while drawing the attention of the authorities, concerned for setting up at common sports complex at Kharsom village.