“The Chakhum-gi Meiri team” handed over six LPG stoves and gas cylinder refill charges to the relief camps at Akampat and Sawombung of Imphal East
TFM Desk
Chakhum-gi Meiri Mission of providing LPG facilities at all valley relief camps was completed on December 25, 2023 with the visit to Akampat and Sawombung relief camps of Imphal East. “With the handing over of LPG Heavy duty stoves and LPG initial refill charges to the 100th Relief Camp, our mission to distribute 200 LPG burners and cash support for 200 cylinder refills has been accomplished,” said a statement.
“The Chakhum-gi Meiri team” handed over six LPG stoves and gas cylinder refill charges to the relief camp at Ideal Girls College, Akampat of Imphal East in the presence of Nodal Officer Imphal East, James Konsam. The relief camp, which is housing 886 internally displaced persons (IDPs) due to the ongoing Kuki-Meitei conflict, is fully dependent on firewood for daily cooking needs. The team also visited Sawombung pre-fabricated facilities where one extra LPG stove was provided in the community Kitchen 1 and 3 respectively.
It is estimated that about 20 to 30 truck-loads of firewood were used in a month in these 100 to 130 relief camp community kitchens. With the use of LPG gas for cooking, overall cooking time and cleaning time by inmates would be reduced significantly. Energy-efficient LPG gas will reduce the carbon footprint of the kitchen. With the LPG facilities, the inmates can prepare breakfast for school-going students, which otherwise individual family bears at additional cost and time, said the statement.
Narrating the Journey of the “Meiri”, it said while visiting Oksongbung relief camp of Bishnupur district on September 30, 2023, a few volunteers felt the need for LPG facilities as large quantities of firewood were being used in these kitchens. Later it was followed by a group of like-minded people and implemented through Manipurtimes and Chakhum platform with the theme of “Chakhum-gi Meiri Mut-han-gumsi ” – The Flame of the Home & Hearth must remain alive.
With the information gathered from respective DC offices of Imphal East, Imphal West, Thoubal, Kakching and Bishnupur districts, 110 relief camps were initially identified without LPG facilities out of about 140 relief camps. A budget of Rs. six lakh and 200 burners were planned to fulfil this mission.
A WhatsApp group was formed on October 10, 2023, and started inviting people through individual networking to join the mission. Social media platforms of Manipurtimes and Chakhum were effectively used for a larger reach and started campaigning on October 21, 2023.
After the mission team was formed, the first relief camp visit was made on October 29, 2023 covering two relief camps of Moirang, Bishnupur district. Continuous efforts are made to get more funds for the mission and keep visiting more relief camps.
While trying to reduce the cost, an order of 120 stoves was made through a firm at Kolkata. The challenges of the bulk transportation were supported by the Assam Rifle by air-lifting from Kolkata to Imphal, under special arrangement.
With the passing days, many camps are found to be closed and merged with another and effectively. Few relief camps still prefer to use firewood for daily needs for cooking and hence LPG stoves were not provided to those specific camps.
With the coverage of a total of 100 relief camps, the mission is declared completed as on December 25, 2023, said the statement.