Imphal, April 13: For all practical purposes, Poi village under Chingai subdivision in Ukhrul district has been lying in utter neglect, uncared and forgotten all these years at the Indo-Myanmar border.

Poi is the last village on the Indian side of the international border and is located 152 kms from Imphal.

The journey to Poi on the Ukhrul Jessami road passes through Awang Kasom and the stretch from Awang Kasom to Poi village is a tale of bad roads, which have not been repaired or looked after for years.

After descending from a steep hill side and then climbing another steep hill side, a team of reporters who undertook the missive to visit this forgotten last village on the Indian side of the international border, encountered the Chellou river.

As this is the dry season, the reporters could easily across the river but when Monsoon comes it is a different story and Poi remains cut off from the rest of the State as there is no bridge over the Chellou river.

On setting foot at the village, the first reaction of the villagers were �How did you manage to reach here through the stretches that pass off as roads ? � Interacting with The Sangai Express Mantri of the village, M Ngamrei said there are folk lores of how humans settled at Poi village about 1000 years back.

Till today, the language spoken by the villagers of Poi is believed to been derived from the sound of the bird Karaw (Robin), he added.

Poi village is divided into three zones-Khuntai, Shiksho Compound where the village chief resides and Christian Compound.

The population strength of the village is an appreciable 2400 and out of this 1600 are eligible to vote.

There is Government school at the village besides another run by the village Church.

There is also a Primary Health Centre and the reporters saw a transformer being installed at the village.

However the Govt schools are facing acute lack of teachers.

In 1960 the first Govt UJB School was set up at the village and this was upgraded to the Poi Junior High School in 1980.There are about 250 students enrolled at this school.

To cater to the needs of the 250 students there are 8 teachers, including the Head Master, one Manipuri teacher and one Tangkhul teacher.

Despite the transformer, electric supply has been cut off for more than a year now.

The PHC was set up in 1981 but there are no employees at all here.

Even the chowkidar who was posted there has passed away with no replacement.

The only silver lining is the adequate water availability.

The village Mantri pointed to a hill range and said �The hill range there is the last range on the side of Manipur,� and added that along the border there still stand border pillar number 126, 127 and 128.A number of Myanmarese frequently visit Poi, he added.

With the help of the Mantri, this reporter was able to meet and interact with five Myanmar nationals who were present at the village.

52 year old Ngaraibam from across the border, who was fluent in Manipuri, Poi dialect and Tangkhul said that they have had trade relations with Poi for years.

Ngaraibam hailing from Jakram village in Myanmar said it takes 2 days for him to reach Poi from his village.

He added that he brings chickens, buffaloes and pigs to sell them at Poi.

From Poi he takes salt and other essential items through the barter system.

On the following the day the media team inspected border number 126, 127 and 128.From the place where the border pillars are put up, one can make one's way to Somra Tract in Myanmar.

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