Imphal, October 06, 2009: In an attempt to help solve the problems of interior villagers of Ukhrul district in stockpiling their produces, president of Information Centre for Hill Area, Manipur (ICHAM), N Rajendro (Boy) has laid a foundation stone for the setting up of godown cum rest house and marketing shed at Awang (North) Kasom on October 3 last.

Awang Kasom is situated around 51 kilometres north of Ukhrul district headquarters along the Indo-Myanmar border.

The village has also been an important trade centre of the Myanmarese.

Though the village has been an important transaction point for around 15 surrounding villages, the residents are facing hardship due to the absence of proper marketing place.

Keeping in mind the needs of the villagers, ICHAM has been laying the foundation stones for the market shed as well as the godown.

ICHAM is planning to construct the market shed and the godown at the cost of Rs 9.5 lakh in order to hoard the produces and raw materials of the land from being wasted.

ICHAM president Rajendro said his organisation has been implementing various developmental works in the hill areas with the full cooperation of the people.

Rajendro (Boy) observes that the state will prosper when the resources of the state are utilised properly.

Peace could not be ushered in with the sole dependence on Central sponsored schemes.

He further urged the Cabinet ministers to discuss the situation of the hill areas at least once in a month.

Boy calls upon the leaders of the hill organisations to unite for the improvement of the hill areas.

Peace cannot be brought in with suspicious feelings against each others.

He urged all concerned to contribute their might towards the preservation and promotion of resources of the land in order to improve the economic condition.

He said, the produces of the state should be promoted even to the international level.

ICHAM chief advisor, MK Shimray said the long cherished dream of setting up a market shed and a rest house cum godown in the area has come to reality.

He said it is a dream comes true for the residents of the interior area.

The setting up of the market shed and godown will also benefit traders from neighbouring Nagaland and Myanmar too.

Talking to media persons, Chairman of Jessami village, Kasiwe Jai said his village has no single government employee while appealing the concerned authority to recruit the village youth in the state force.

In the absence of any long-lasting work, some of the villagers are employed in Nagaland.

He pointed out that there is no doctor in the PHSC while also lamenting that the government seems to neglect the village in all fronts.

The village chairman had also submitted a memorandum to the president and chief advisor of ICHAM.

The ICHAM president has assured the villagers that a guest house in the border area will be set up within 2009-10.He also asked them to highlight their grievance to ICHAM if the government fails to redress their grievances.

At Kharasom village, the touring team has also come to learn that there has been no regular drinking water supply system, no effective teacher in the junior high school of the village.

Talking to the team, the headman of Kharasom village, ZN Shimray apprised that even medicine has not been found in the PHSC, and the veterinary office has been opened namesake at a house of the village.

He said the villagers did not get any PDS item.

The only benefit the villagers enjoyed from government scheme is NREGS.

The team also learnt that the villagers of Namrei and its surrounding villages are reeling under darkness.

Even as the construction of the 33.11 KV power substation at Namrei was completed, the villagers have to depend on natural light as the same has not been commissioned till date.

Government employees of the area are the worst sufferers - they have to clear monthly due of electricity but they did not get electricity either.

The UJB School at Namrei has also been manned by a headmaster, two teachers and two substitutes.

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