Kamjong District Co-ordination Committee (KDCC) drew the attention of the state government over a range of issues plaguing Kamjong district — from COVID-19 management to infrastructural development.
KDCC, in a release on Sunday, said that the committee led by its advisor Ashang Kasar visited Kasom Khullen Block Headquarters, Phungyar Block Headquarters, Kamjong Block Headquarters and Sahamphang Block Headquarters on June 2, 3 and 4, 2021.
The KDCC members held meetings with the village authority members, youth organisation, women organisation leaders and block level COVID-19 committee members. The meetings discussed problems and issues facing the general public especially in regard to the COVID-19 prevailing situation. Other issues on infrastructural development were also shared and discussed, it added.
KDCC stated that the village authority leaders and other leaders expressed much displeasure over the manner in which the government and the people’s representative are handling the fight on the current COVID-19 situation.
“The imposition of curfew in the villages has hampered economic activities of the villagers for livelihood. It has impacted immense hardships. Provision of essential commodities to the villagers under PMKAY and NFSA are not properly reaching out to the villagers as notified and targeted. Till date, there is no severe outbreak of COVID-19 in the villages but preventive measures are lagging far behind,” it added.
The KDCC warned that in case of a sudden outbreak of the virus, the situation could be topsy. The attitude of the public authority is more or less akin to “waiting for the virus”.
In the health sector, there are no specialist doctors in all the block headquarters hospitals. COVID-19 is not only the case, there are other illnesses among the villagers. Specialist doctors like Paediatricians, Gynaecologists and Medicines are not at all available in the district of Kamjong, it added.
“At Kamjong District Headquarters there is only one small Ambulance which is far insufficient at this time of pandemic situation. There is one X-Ray equipment but it is left unused as there is no technician”.
The release further stated that at Kasom Khullen Block Headquarters, a building for opening a bank was inaugurated in 2015. But the bank authority has refused to start functioning as the building is wearing out. The contractor who constructed the building has not maintained quality. All tiles on the floor have broken up into pieces. Because of the absence of a bank the people in the area are facing acute problems of cash as they all have bank accounts in Imphal and Ukhrul.
The construction of a mini-secretariat at Kamjong District Headquarters is standing incomplete. All other infrastructural constructions are in limbo for the last two-three years. The road within the district headquarter is in a deplorable condition. Only when ministers pay a visit the road is repaired temporarily. There is total failure of infrastructural development and other related departments at Sahamphung Block, the committee contended.
The KDCC requested the present government to look into the matter seriously and take up work at the earliest in the interest of the Kamjong district public.
(Courtesy: The Frontier Manipur)