By: Laishram Ranbir
Imphal, May 14: When the country is working towards an inclusive growth, Purul village in Senapati district of Manipur still remain one of the most deprived localities with no proper communication and basic amenities.
Purul- a village of above 1000 Poumai Naga tribe is situated around 80km away from the state capital towards the western side and 45km (approximately) from the district headquarter- Senapati. However, the village still lacks proper facilities for communication, transport, health care and education.
Stories of difficulties faced by the villagers remain the same for almost the six decade. Carrying a sick person in long unusable road to reach public health center; spending a whole day in traveling to reach district headquarters and procuring a certificate from DC office and many more are the daily woes that are faced by the people of the area before and after India got independence in 1947, told Thaiba Sanil, a social worker of the village to this reporter of Imphal Times.
Oinam another village in the district is the nearest place (around 10km from Purul), where a health care centre is situated. Despite having above 150 household and sub-divisional headquarter of 82 Poumai tribal villages, the authority has not set up even a single dispensary or health care clinic in Purul village.
Because of not having medical facility in the village many villagers have lost their lives while traveling to reach Senapati District Hospital, he added.
Expressing displeasure over the state government for its step-motherly attitude towards the people of Purul, Thaiba Sanil said that after India got independence the main roads connecting Purul and other villages have been constructed only once that too 6 (six) years ago. Since then it has remained unnoticed by the concern department.
The condition of the roads in the village remained pathetic and not fit to travel along. The conditions even worsen during rainy season where villagers remained totally cut out from rest of the villages due to landslides along the road. Even if the village has 15 government schools including a High and Higher Secondary schools, all the schools have no adequate teaching staffs. Interestingly, due to lack of staffs, Headmaster of the High School in the village is currently taking charge of the lone Higher Secondary as Principal.
In today’s Digital India, the village has no proper communication facilities. A mobile phone network tower of government-run BSNL had been set up. However, most of the subscribers have helplessly stopped using cell phone as they were unable to get proper network of the single mobile phone service provider in the entire Sub-division. Disappointed mobile phone users of the village said that the Telecom Department had not set up the tower at proper place where it can receive and transmit networks.
A 62-year-old woman of the village opined that she has no hope of any assistance from the side of Imphal (State) and Delhi (Center) governments, while she added that it is far better to extend co-operation among the villagers than seeking help from the government when it has not look for years.
Agricultural, animal husbandry and fish farming are the main occupations of the villagers, the products produced from the area is sufficient for villager to sustain their livelihood even if they don’t have mobile phone, education and proper connecting roads. So, it is up to the will and wisdom of government to decide whether to develop the area or keep the people away from the modern civilisation by taking away even for the basic amenities.
