IMPHAL, March 17: Villagers of Thangtek village under Konthoujam Assembly Constituency and which has been included under the Municipal Council of the Nambol Assembly Constituency by only considering the closeness in distance by the constituency are still awaiting for potable water supply and other basic needs.
A team of media persons from Imphal had an interaction with the villagers at Thangtek Jr High School today where the villagers shared their problems regarding potable water supply.
Village spokespersons Takhellambam Ibohal, Nambol Municipal Council Ward No 17 Councillor Maisnam Priyokumar, Thangtek Hidak Sungba Youth Club secretary Thomas Pamei spoke during the interaction.
The Councillor, secretary of the local club and other leaders of the village said that five wards under Konthoujam a/c including Thangtek are now included under Nambol Municipal Council. The said five wards are now known as Ward No 1, 2, 3, 17 and 18 under Nambol Municipal Council.
The five under Konthoujam Assembly Constituency and after it was included under Nambol Municipal Council; a confusion has been created on who is the right authority for the developmental works to be taken up under the state government, the villagers said.
Among the five wards which have been recently included under NMC, the least developed ward is Thangtek. The village which has a population of around 1000 people including women and children totally depends on a pond at the village, “Yangoi Ningthou Pukhri” for drinking as well as washing clothes, the villagers said.
Though the village is recognized as an NMC ward, a close observation shows that of a rural character. The pond is the only source of water for the village and when the pond is dry, the villagers go to the neighbouring villages for water which is a distance of about 2 to 3 kilometres.
In rainy season, the fields surrounding the village are always flooded. The pond is the only source of water for the village and small time agricultiure cannot be done in the village, the villagers complained.
Now Maklang River is all dried up and cracks have started appearing as the river is never maintained. There is a need for construction of a water body before the river gets dry and small dams need to be built to provide water for gardening etc, the villagers said.
Secretary of Thangtek Hidak Sungba Youth Club said that during the rainy season, the overflowing of Maklang River always occur at the village. The main occupation of the villagers is farming and there is no water in the village, he said.
A market shed was constructed but never completed. Even thought the village is a tribal village but they never received any kind of help from any departments of the state government including Tribal development department, the Secretary said.
Khabi Thangtek PHSC is also defunct and it only opens during the pulse polio time.
He appealed to the state government for its kind attention and urged the government to look after three villages, Sabal Tongba Kabui Khul, Heikrujam Kabui Khul, Thamphagei Kabui Khul which gets flooded every year during rainy season.