Ukhrul, September 22 2009: Villagers of Chhingai Sub-Division are taking the onus of protecting and safeguarding the boundary of the state with Nagaland at Jessami portion but state government is neglecting the people here a lot.

Despite government neglected attitudes, people of the Chhingai are protecting and safeguarding the territorial boundary at the border area with Nagaland, said Tennoson Pheirei, president of the Raphei Katamnao Long (RKL), a civil organization in the sub-division launching poster campaign in Ukhrul district highlighting the grievances of the people of the sub-division.

The Jessami villages of Nagaland state which is considered one of the strategic points of Manipur is manned by an SDC while the Chhingai SDC office is running without its head.

The SDC post is lying vacant since the creation of TD block in 2006 .

As such, the onus to protect and safeguard the territorial boundary has been fixed to the villagers, he said recalling the instance of Akash Bridge border dispute incident of 2008 which was highlighted by the visiting team of Doordarshan Kendra, Imphal.

President, Tennoson Pheirei said that the Chingai Sub-Division was formally launched in 1969 and is considered to be one of the oldest blocks in the history of Manipur.

However, the pathetic functioning of the existing administrative condition and the inconvenience cause to the people in the region has prompted the union (RKL) to initiate the poster campaign.

The body had submitted a memorandum to the chief minister highlighting the grievances of the people and relief the same at earliest on September 18 last with a copy to the circle MLA of Chingai.

If government remains deaf ear to look into the demand of the people, the union will resort to intensified form of agitation like picketing of government offices and others, he said.

Representing the people, the RKL is demanding immediate up-gradation of the present administrative care from SDO to ADC.

"We also strongly feel the need for a local officer who understands the situation and problems of the area to man the said post," he went on to say.

The union has also submitted a representation to the state chief minister, O Ibobi Singh highlighting the grievances of the people on September 18 last and drawing his attention to look into the matter but so far no positive response coming up till date.

Seeing the hardship face by the community in the matter of public utility services, the union once again seeks the SPF government intervention and inspection in the memorandum.

Among other, the body is demanding up-gradation of one of the existing government high school in the Raphei area to higher secondary level.

Due to the remoteness of are and the ignorant of the peoples, the government has neglected in all fronts of humanity development.

At present there are seven high schools, six junior high schools, five aided schools and four schools less village under the ZEO and 37 primary schools under council.

The absence of a higher secondary school has compelled the community students to migrate to other parts of the district/ state for further education and also resulting to huge drop-out of students due to the nature of poor economic condition of the region.

Villagers were also reeling under darkness for the past decade.

Even though the construction of 33/11 KVA Sub-Station at Namrei under NLCPR in 2005 has been completed at the beginning of the current year, the same is yet to commission.

Villagers wanted immediate commissioning of the sub-station.

Other demands include immediate up-gradation of the present administrative care from SDC to SDO and posting of the said officer considering the suffering and hardships faced by the common people of the region.

Valuing the sincerity of the SPF government to create a conducive atmosphere, the union has draw the attention of the government to meet the legitimate demands several representations were served.

The attitude of the authority turning a deaf ear has compelled the union to resort into intensified forms of agitation, the Raphei Katamnao Long (RKL) warned the government in the memorandum submitted on September 18 last.

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