Situated in the remotest North Eastern part of the Ukhrul district in the present state of Manipur, Tusom village lies bordering to Phek District of Nagaland State to the north, Senapati dist. to the west and Burma to the east, with a population of 3000 (three thousand), is known for its rich multifaceted traditional costumes and festivals. The majestic traditional headgear is the pride of the village, adorned with 12 hornbill feathers, arranged with thousand crimson seeds and crafted with indigenous cane is one of the most priceless articles in the whole world.
The well preserved rain forest which forms part of the patkai range, rich in flora and fauna and rare species of indigenous herbal plants which are in abundance, is a natural _expression of the village community’s collective initiative in maintaining their proximity to their land and nature. The main occupation of this village is agriculture. The ecological feature provides an ideal condition for cultivation of apple, lemon, orange, potatoes, tomato, chilly, cabbage and etc. It is one of the highest and finest quality rice (Tusomsam) producing village in Ukhrul district with a market value of rupees 350/- per tin (one tin of rice is equivalent to 17 kg).Trade and commerce with the neighboring town in Burma, Somra Township continue through porter system, which is just 8 km distance on foot, however, the availability of imported goods and exports business are amazing to an extend in ratio with other international trade centre acknowledged by the Government..
Life in Tusom has not been an easy road. It has only one Government High school and an English medium school till class VII administrated by the villager’s initiative. Hardly 25 people are employed in Govt. sector out of 3000 population. The village is an island through out monsoon because of the non availability of bridge across the turbulent Tusom River that forms a tributary of Tezu River. The sick people who are carried by a stretcher for almost 8 hrs gamble for life due to the lack of basic medical facilities because the nearest highway connection to ukhrul Hq. is 85 km away from the village.
The only available record of the initiative taken by the power department for electrification to this village goes way back to 1998. Surprisingly, many people in this village have never seen electricity in their life. Despite the work to be done by the department, the village community took initiative to transport wires and poles from Ukhrul to village, erecting post wherever necessary. However, the department abruptly ended the project without any reason, leaving aside all the materials under the mercy of Mother Nature. Then the lighting system continued to be kerosene lamp, sometimes not in used due to non availability of state supply kerosene; inspite of this woe the indigenous lighting system from old pine wood comes as rescue for both household work and students to complete their homework. And what was surprising was after two to three years the un-installed transformers were taken away for repairing and never to be seen again. Now the rusted erected post remains for the creepers to grow and useful for the village structural stand for PA system. The neighboring villages like New and Old Wahong and Soraphung faces the same deprivation of these basic amenities.
Now these questions remain to be answered:
1. Was there lapse in funding by the state?
2. Was the fund for this project siphoned off by the officers of the concern department, bureaucrats or politicians?
Was it the size of village and population that did not reach to the required term and conditions of the government rules for electrification?
4. Has the Deputy Commissioner, head of the dist. remained a mere spectator towards all kind of injustice? Or
5. Is the silence of the people from these areas misunderstood as a sign of submissiveness to the issue?
These calls for urgent explanation from the concern department and appeal to His Excellency the Governor of Manipur for his intervention and to all Naga social organization, students union and right thinking citizen in the interest of basic human rights, right to live as equal with the rest of the people, who enjoys much better privileges.
Victor Vashum
Tusom Village
