Second lifeline of the State : Dispel this archaic thought
- Sangai Express Editorial :: July 25, 2013 -

The pathetic condition of NH 37 (Imphal-Jiribam) Road as on July 21 2013 :: Pix - Deepak Oinam

Wordsmiths, that is what journalists or writers are expected to be. A double edged sword, one may say. In one stroke, a brilliant journalist may be able to strike home a message by coining a term or a phrase to describe a scenario.

“Embedded journalists” is a term that was coined by some journalists when western countries, especially the USA, gave access to journalists to cover the conflicts in the middle east from their side, and in the process stories that the world consumed were tales which came out from from only one direction, neglecting the other side.

In one single stroke of the pen and in coming out with a term consisting of two words, a significant observation was conveyed to the world, which gave a totally different understanding to the conflicts and the stories that emerged from the battle fronts.

On the other hand, the terms coined by journalists may become so firmly embedded in the consciousness of the officialdom, leading to a failure to study or think out of the box.

Second lifeline. This refers to the Imphal-Jiribam stretch of National Highway-37.

An apt description, no doubt, but time has moved on and what was once apt a decade or even seven or eight years ago may not be applicable today.

This is a point that should register in the minds of the people who matter.

The tag, ‘second lifeline’ of the State has gone on for too long and it has today become redundant and not suited to the reality that is facing Manipur today.

Time for the policy framers of the State to break free from this tag, or a term coined many years back and see and understand the Imphal-Jiribam stretch as another important lifeline of the State.

Perhaps it is this ‘second lifeline’ understanding which has led to the perpetual neglect of this all important route.

A land locked State like Manipur cannot afford to compartmentalise its land routes as first lifeline, second lifeline or third lifeline.

All are lifelines, for the people and the State is the point that should not be forgotten.

Today situation has come back full circle. Not man made, like the previous ones, but a similar situation anyway.

With a long stretch of the road along NH-2 sinking near Kohima, transportation of goods and petroleum products along this line is not going to resume for quite some time.

This is a reality, a reality of a lifeline of the State getting cut off, once again.

An annual ritual if one may add. However the State Government and the agencies, whether it is the BRO or others do not seem to have any contingency plans at all.

This was best exemplified during the road tour that the Union Minister of State for Defence Mr Jitendra Singh took along the Imphal-Jiribam stretch on July 21.

The topography, the treacherous terrains, obviously are factors for the abysmal state of this route, no doubt.

But to a large extent, it is also because of the failure of the Government and the authority concerned to see this route beyond the realm of ‘second lifeline’.

The first lesson came in 2005, when the All Naga Students’ Association, Manipur imposed the 52 days economic blockade, which literally crippled Manipur.

It is now eight years since then and at the risk of repeating what has been said umpteen times, eight years is a long time.

A 12 year old girl then will now be an adult, ready to step into the world.

A child born in 2005, would probably be studying in Class III or IV.

In the interregnum, what progress has been made on this said route ? Nothing concrete. Nothing at all.

The distance along this route is not calculated in terms of kilometres (222) but by the number of days it takes to cover this stretch of the highway.

The second lifeline tag on Imphal-Jiribam should go, pronto. It should be a lifeline.