Manipur govt apathy writ large over Keithelmanbi

IMPHAL, February 20: Government apathy has become the bane of the villagers of Nongpok Keithlmanbi located in Imphal East as the village is lacking in every aspect of basic amenities. Villagers complained that they have been neglected for more than 19 years by the Government resulting in the present condition. Villagers told this reporter that the people of the area are mostly hand to mouth farmers. The people are caught in a time warp as no Government facilities have reached them. The farmers go to the hills in the winter to cut firewood. However, the simple lifestyles are at most of the times affected by their failure to have access to basic medical facilities in times of epidemic, he said. The only Primary Health Centre in the village has not been functioning since last year due to lack of staff. There were only one attendant, one male and female health worker and one male health supervisor. However, they never attend office as they hail from far off areas. They come only at the time of the Pulse Polio Immunization programme, the villagers alleged. Nongpok Keithelmanbi had not been receiving power for the last one year. The only substitute for electricity, kerosene and candles are also not available adequately and at times the price of kerosene shoots upto Rs 28 per litre. Due to this, the villagers finish taking food before-nightfall and go to bed once the sun sets, they said. The villagers lamented that they have never tasted potted drinking water and their only source of water is the Thoubal river. However skin and cholera epidemic are annual affairs due to the use of unhygienic water. Fetching water for daily use is also giving the women members a hard time. On the education front, the village has only one Primary School having 160 students. Classes have been stopped for the past few days as one of the three teachers has retired while the two others have gone for, the population census, the villagers further said. The Yairipok-Keithelmanbi road had also not been repaired since 1981. Even the complaints made by local MLA M Tomba to the Government have fallen to deaf ears, the villagers alleged adding that what the people want now is reviving the Primary Health Centre at the earliest. The villagers have demanded one medical officer along with adequate equipment. They have appealed to the Govt to appoint at least five teachers at the Keitheimanbi Primary School.