“The Government is not dead. It is very much alive and so am I, ” Chingai MLA Khashim Vashum told the residents of Kachai Shimphungrim, a hilly hamlet of Kachai village in the extreme west of Ukhrul district bordering Senapati district.
“Always take heart and not lose it. You may be a small population but don’t ever feel that you are marginalised. The Government is always there to back you up,” MLA Khashim said assuring the locals of Government attention during his maiden visit to the hamlet on Thursday.
The MLA’s visit did a lot in bolstering the spirits of the residents of Kachai Shimphungrim as he landed there with a set assurances. “For me, reaching out to smaller and less-privileged villages is a priority. This brings me here today. But this won’t be the last, I will come back again and again,” he shouted much to the cheer of the villagers.
During the visit MLA Khashim accompanied by former councillors Paothing Vashum, Thuingahan Pheirim and Thanchipem Jagoi, also inspected the dilapidated building of the local Church. “I am very happy to see you maintaining the same old Church building. I just learnt that you are planning to rebuild it, I will provide the requisite roofing materials for it,” he assured.
He also appreciated the villagers for their cultured and refined lifestyle despite being a small, backward village. “I appeal to you to upkeep it and also continue peaceful coexistence with your neighbours.”
Referring to a memorandum submitted by the Chairman of local development committee Reithingam Zingkhai, the MLA said that: “I will look into the feasible aspects to do the needful.”
In the memo, the chairman urged him to construct a mini bridge over the Ihang River, (Lungshang) in-between K Shimphungrim and Lamyin Phungdhar village.
Zingkhai said that the inter village road of the hamlet which crosses the river is the only lifeline for the locals to connect to the rest of the district.
“But there is no bridge over the river and during monsoon season, the roadway becomes unusable due to overflowing of the river water,” he said urging the MLA to construct a bridge over the river for the sake of the poor villagers.
The visiting MLA also braved the steep mountainous terrains and travelled on a Gypsy vehicle for almost 30 minutes along the rough, improvised road surface. A nocturnal shower had made travelling along the roadway harder. But that did not deter him to proceed to the village.
The roadway that deviates from the Ukhrul-Tadubi NH-102A at Kachai Thikhor village, is the only viable road that connects the isolated hamlet which is located about 55 km from Ukhrul district headquarters, about 5 km off Kachai Thikhor locality.
During the visit, Khashim also inaugurated a barrack-type teacher’s quarter facility for the K Shimphungrim Primary School under the district council.
He dedicated the new facility in the presence of former councilors Paothing Vashum, Thuingahan Pheirim and Thanchipem Jagoi, Polly Makan, CEO, ADC, Ukhrul, Haowung Ronnui, lnspector ADC Ukhrul, Kachai’s acting headman Mingthing R. Shimray, village Chairman Reithingam Zingkhai and others.
Calling the construction of BTQ facility as a fruit of commitment on the part of ADC’s education department, Khashim urged the villagers to utilise the new building in giving better education to their children.
He then advised the local SMDC to give their best efforts for the education and to apprise the authorities concerned of any difficulties experienced in running the school.
Local chairman Zingkhai expressed gratitude to the visiting MLA for his concern for the village. Among the benefits the village has received from the MLA included cellular network, pipeline water supply, electricity and solar lamps, according to the chairman.
He said that settlement in the hamlet started back in 1947 and it currently has 12 houses with a population of 76 out of which there are 46 voters.
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