Imphal, January 14: Capitalizing on the backwardness of New Somtal villages located near the Indo-Myanmar border, traders from across the international border dictate terms while purchasing oranges to sell them at the markets of Namphalong in Tamu and Moreh town as products of Myanmar.

Ironically, the juicy fruits fetch a high price for the traders when sold with the Myanmar tag while exploitation of the villagers from where the actual item is produced goes unreported.

With negligence writ large on the New Somtal villages along the Tuiblok river bank in Chandel district the villagers have to depend on nature for their livelihood.

Barring cultivation activities villagers of almost six major villages have been constrained to live in sub standard condition in the absence of electricity, health care centres, educational institutions and deplorable surface communications.

The steady Tuiblok river after weaving through the New Somtal villages falls into the Tuisa river located at the Chin Hill slopes on the India-Myanmar border.

Notwithstanding its minuscule proportion, Tuiblok river provides substantial scope for plantation of oranges which is the only source of earning for the villagers.

New Somtal is blessed with abundant oranges but the planters have to endure tremendous hardships in terms of transporting the goods due to non-existent roadways resulting in either selling off the fruits to the Myanmar traders at prices fixed by them (traders) or face wastage in huge quantities.

Acknowledging the woes, one Onthang Haokip (56) who owns four of the six farms located in the village said the plantations began in 1970 and when it matured the hard toil had to be compromised with the Myanmarese traders as trudging along the muddy road to reach a favorable market site is beyond the capacity of the villagers.

Nevertheless, the traders from across the border pays around Rs 40,000 for buying oranges of a single farm, said Onthang.

The other two farms belong to Nguljathang Haokip (60) and Mrs Nemjalim.

Adding to the villagers' miseries are the preference of the 12 teachers for the only New Somtal Junior High School to stay at either Imphal or Moreh for carrying out business activities, complained the villagers.

The teachers utilize 3/4 village youths in their place with payment of nominal fees ranging from Rs 800-1000, they alleged adding those parents who could not afford to sent their children for schooling at Imphal or Moreh usually engage them in field works after completion middle level.

The teachers have never cared to report for duty at the school for the last ten years, recalled another villager who further disclosed that at present about 100 children are studying at the lone New Somtal School that has upto class-V instead of the recommended class VIII.

In a week classes are seldom conducted for three days.

Similar, negligence also prevails at nearby villages of Layang that has 20 households, Yangnamphai (30), Bungjoi (20), Tuiliang (30) and Old Somtal (30).The villagers along these border areas prefers Myanmar currency rather than Indian notes due to close affinity to the neighboring country and comfort in trading activities from across the border.

With no effort worth mentioning initiated by either Manipur or Indian Governments most of the able bodied youths have to reach Namphalong, Tamu, Bokan and Khampat in Myanmar and Moreh town of Manipur for find work as manual laborers.

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