Making Manipur a hell to live Nothing seems to work

Nothing seems to be working right for Manipur and it has been like this for years and years. A clear indication that nothing is on track. At the moment no road in Imphal is free of potholes and uneven stretches and now with the dry season setting in, it is dust and dust all the way. Dengue is at an all time high. It is also not clear whether the African Swine Fever or Swine Fever has landed here, but it was just some days back that all the Imphal based newspapers had published a news item of pig rearers crying out loud about an unknown disease stalking the swines with the Veterinary Department allegedly not taking any immediate measures. Shortly after news of the unknown disease stalking pigs came out, officials of the Veterinary Department interacted with the media but not a word was said on the unknown disease that had already claimed pigs. Even after more than thirty months of the ethnic violence erupting in all its ugliness on May 3, 2023, the National Highways still remain off limits for the Meiteis and none of the Kuki-Chin-Zo folks who had abandoned their homes at Imphal and the other valley districts have returned home. Manipur is under President’s Rule and it is amid this that the call for the restoration of the popularly elected Government is getting more and more audible though no roadmap to take Manipur to the path of normalcy has been spelt out. Or if any roadmap is in the mind of anyone, it has not been disclosed.   Power supply continues to be erratic with no one really knowing when the lights would go off constraining many families to keep the candles on the ready in case the lights suddenly decide to ‘go for a walk’ while the family is having dinner ! Receiving tap water once a week, that too for those who are fortunate to have water connection, is considered good. Making life hell for everyone with the people made to believe that better times are bound to come. A promise on which Manipur has been living day to day for decades. What has happened to the piped drinking water to every household promise of the BJP just before the 2017 Assembly elections ? What has happened to the promise of free movement for everyone ? Only the Government can answer these questions, but the very fact that these posers have been raised should be more than clear that it has failed on every count possible. This is what is unacceptable.
It is also disturbing to note that even as a number of civil society organisations have come out to openly oppose the plan to hold the Sangai Festival, the Government seems  indifferent to the voices of opposition if the preparation being taken up is any indication. The Government may have reasons to hold the festival, but it would help immensely if the voices of concern raised are acknowledged. The reality should be taken into consideration and it would make so much more sense for Raj Bhavan to reach out to the organisations concerned and see  if a sort of an understanding can be worked out. Or has efforts been taken up to reach out to the different CSOs ? If so then it ought to be spelt out to the public, or else just going ahead with the preparation despite the opposition raised would amount to cocking a snook at the stand of the different organisations. Such an approach will ultimately defeat the very purpose of holding the festival. A point which would not have blown over the heads of the PR administration. No State level festival can be successful by adopting a ‘confrontationist’ approach. This much should be clear to all. Manipur should get down to the basics. Ensure that the quality of life of the people is not compromised. Make sure that power does not go off at the blink of the eye. Ensure that piped water is supplied regularly and the fact that this call is being raised in a place where rainfall is abundant should tell so many things. It is a shame that even in this age and time people still depend on water tanks to meet their domestic requirements.  Fix the roads, ensure regular water and power supply. This should be the first priority of Raj Bhavan.