Manipur villagers protest as areas still fighting darkness

Protests erupted in two interior villages of Manipur demanding electrification of the areas reeling under darkness since Independence.

Residents of Lungthulien and Senvon villagers, bordering Mizoram, took out rallies on Monday to get the promised power supply.

"When Power Department officials came to our area last year, we offered our help hoping our village to be electrified by Christmas as promised. We have not heard from them since then," said Pastor Rolawm, a villager from Senvon, who took part in the protest.

However, Deputy Commissioner of Pherzawl district Mannuamching told PTI over phone that work is underway to provide power supply to the villages.

Hluna Hrangchal, the District Manager of Manipur State Power Distribution Company Limited told PTI that the Power Department is "doing its best" to provide electricity connections to the two villages.

"Lack of manpower and vehicles, difficulty in reaching the remote villages due to bad condition of roads, and topography of the terrain have hindered progress of the work," he said.

"Such is the state of affairs that our students are dependent on kerosene lamps or solar lamps for studying at night while many families rely on firewood to cook and finish their family chores," a protester said.

Power officials based in Pherzawl confirmed that many villages in the district were yet to be electrified.

Interestingly, Leisang village in Kangpokpi district of the state was declared the country's "last village to be electrified" in April 2018.