Imphal, March 22 2009: The dawn of new millennium could have been a thing of the past for some people, but residents of Phaibung village in Senapati district are still reluctantly, but out of compulsion, waiting for their turn to feel the bliss of electricity keeping aside the enjoyment of other daily basic necessities in this part of the globe.

Located 75 kilometres north-east of the Senapati district headquarters, Phaibung village inhabited by the colourful Poumai tribe, has been constituted by three contagious localities � Phaibung Khullen, Phaibung Khunou and Lower Phaibung.

Even as electricity wires have been fitted and a transformer being installed in their village, residents of Phaibung village in Senapati struggle to live under the dim lit of firewood, lamps etc.

Adding the woes of the villagers is the absence of water reservoir in the vicinity of the village which forced them to fetch water from the nearby village after spending a good hours walking with their bowls.

Health care system is close to naught in the village.

The villagers have lived envying other villages and localities who bask under the glow of electric lights.

The villagers have also been confronted with water scarcity problem just when monsoons go in the absence of any scheme to set up a water reservoir for the villagers.

The 500 odd households of the village have to depend on the river water after a stinging walk up the hills.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, the Vice-Chairman of Phaibung village, DTH Tolui said that it would be of immense help if the Government could set up hand pumps in the village while adding that the water scarcity problem may be minimised if such step is taken up.

He said that there has been no initiative on the part of the villagers to submit a representation to the government in this regard.

He however said that the government has given its approval already for the setting up of a Community Health Centre in the village.

Tolui revealed that it�s been around a year the contractor hasn�t turned up after the completion of the construction of the foundation of the building.

He further lamented that even as the villagers vacated a house for the purpose of using it as a CHC by paying all the rental fees, the doctor and other staffs refuse to stay in the village.

As such, the villagers were compelled to face another disadvantage of health care facility.

Being left in the lurch, the villagers have to rely either on Senapati district headquarters or Imphal for medical treatment or in time of emergency.

Not amusingly, the villagers have been forced to work and earn in Nagaland for their sustenance since they have no regular works in their village, the village leader said.

In fact, Phaibung village has gain more benefits from neighbouring Nagaland than from the state where they belong.

The village leader also cautioned that the time may not be far away when the residents would insist to join Nagaland if the Government of Manipur continues to neglect the development of the village.

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