Kakching needs a Park and Recreation Center
Feb 1, 2014 9:41:15 GMT 5.5
Thoithoi O'Cottage likes this
Post by Dr. Lalit Pukhrambam on Feb 1, 2014 9:41:15 GMT 5.5
I would like to draw a few attention for the civic societies at Kakching on how (potentially) to make Kakching a Civil Society. What are the essentials needed to be considered briefly?
1. For now and future, Kakching needs a space to breath fresh air - that is a Park and a Recreation Center Reserved - like we see in Kangla Imphal, New Delhi, Calcutta, New York and many townships in the US including West Bloomfield Michigan. A space for people to walk and run, for kids to play safely, a family picnic spot, and a sports facility for youth and adults to hang out, such as a basketball court and a tennis court in the open air and under the sun. Kakching is a congested town with houses becoming staked up in neighborhoods - back, front and middle - no more courtyard and front gardens to do physical activities. TV, Cable, and DVD movies becoming common to every household - both kids and adults are spending more and more time indoors sitting idle - leading to a sedentary lifestyle. This will translate to various modern/21st century health hazards and diseases - incurring costly hospital fees and medication. All these could be avoided by having a public park where people are encouraged to walk, run, and play in the fresh air and to sweat out the toxins in the body.
KMC and Kakching civil societies should find a suitable area to be reserved as a Park and Recreation Center, at least 50 - 100 acres depending on available land at Kakching and surrounding areas. It may seem a lot of land for now, but in future, the younger generation will come know what their elders did was for their benefit. This is one area where Kakching should seriously think and plan on taking up into action.
2. Next important items is the Community Library. For any town, the civic sense is defined by its library and its use by the residents - young, adult, and old alike. Developing a habit of reading is crucial for brain development and rational thinking. Nowadays, our kids are good a visual perception but poor on visceral thinking and analytical skills due to too much time on visual activities such as TV, computer and video games, youtube, movies, and smart phones. Summer vacation and after examination holidays should be special time for reading books from the library for students and teachers alike.
KMC and Kakching Libarary and Information Center should team up to provide the best facility for Kakching. KMC can set aside some money annually from its budget for the Library. A must for both KMC and the Library is an uninterrupted internet access, so that students can get access to important information for higher education in India and Abroad, Job opportunities for Educated youths, Health and Wellness informatics for Adults and so on. A reliable internet access at the Library is a must for any town like Kakching. Of courese, we are talking about Kakching here.
3. A predictable law and order situation for a peaceful community existence and business development. Economy is the backbone of the society = be it in the agricultural sector, horticulture, animal husbandry, transport, education, merchandise retailing business, whole sale, mom and pop enterprises or incorporated companies. Bandhs should be avoided to all possible alternative means. There are several ways to express your anguish and demands other than calling a total bandh, which mainly affects the daily wage earners - IMA market, farmers, business employees, rickshaw pullers, auto-rickshaw drivers, bus conductors and handyman, etc., who do not get paid on holidays and bandhs unlike the govt employees, the police, and UGs, who work or not get their salaries. So, this is the situation we are in Manipur and Kakching. Kakching not being the capital city nor the district headquarter should be able to maintain a relatively calm environment, if the citizens of Kakching are united to make Kakching a peaceful and business friendly town.
4. Good and Quality Schools: A town is defined by the quality of school it has and students it produces year after year. A good school system is not that we have once in a while a topper in the HSLC Exam or in College. A good school district is that at least 90 percent of the students finish 12th grade at 2nd division and above. Toppers are produced as well from these students. We have to think of the overall welfare of the students, not just a few select elite students. The good students will do well no matter what - but the middle range students if not paid attention will fall into the crack of drug addicts and will be a burden to the parents and society at large, and personal sad story throughout his or her life. Good and dedicated teachers, counselors, Principals, School boards, and Teacher/parent associations all have to weigh in the school. Keep the school environment clean and healthy. Include lessons in drug addiction, healthy lifestyle, sports, physical activity, art, culture, sports, and other international languages, as optional subjects wherever possible. Do not leave a lot of free time to the teenagers. A structure routine is very hard to follow and keep up in the beginning but will get use to it eventually. They will like it when they experience it and know the benefit than random haphazard routine in life. Even for adults, to follow a fixed time table and routine is not an easy task. NO BODY COMES TO THE MEETING ON TIME BUT IF THE MOVIE STARTS LATE EVERYBODY WILL START SHOUTING. That is Kakching and Manipur, I knew. I do not know of late though.
5. Lastly, I must say something about political activity and society: For any community in a democracy, politics is the backbone. A clean political environment can bring a lot of development in the community. IT BEGINS WITH THE CITIZENS. If the citizens are knowledgeable of its political rights and citizenship, then the politicians can't take the people for a ride to the ditch. Taking money during election from the candidates means that the citizens have sold their future rights to the candidates, and therefore, the citizens have not right to question the elected members such as the MLA and KMC members of their sincerity, service and duty to the public. What to do in a situation like India, Manipur and Kakching where voters are bought during the election, and the politicians are trying to pocket as much public money to their pockets to recuperate the invested money during election. No citizen has now the right to question the politician in his or her sincerity.
What might be a best scenario for Kakching politics to be clean, at least at some tolerable and functional levels.
- It might be recommended to form a Private Election Commission of Kakching made up of local intellectuals, business community, and civil society clubs. This committee may work in concert with the Election commission of India, Manipur branch, to set the amount of money a candidate can spend on electioneering, not on bribing. They can monitor the expenditure of the candidates, their agents, and donors. It should be available under RTI Act 2005.
- A local media with investigative journalism can actively follow the election, the candidates and their financial activities. Provide a platform for the candidates to debate on their vision and election agenda and why he or she should be elected.
- A candidate with criminal records or known convicted corrupt background should be barred from running for the office.
These are some of the methods that might jump start Kakching toward a civil society in Manipur in several aspects. While it is easy to write down on a piece of paper such a proposal, I am also not naive to ignore the complexity of a living dynamic society. It is easy to say but difficult to practice and achieve. But, with a slight modification in our thought process and approach, Kakching can be a clean city in India. Kakching is quite independent in thinking and action from other towns of Manipur. Kakching has not produced a Chief Minister or a strong Minister in Manipur. We used to perform - KAKCHING NAMUNGBA - that is no outsider can come to Kakching and no Kakching people can go out during these days, Kakching is in its business of its own not be known to the outside world. It will be difficult to perform Namungba at present though. We have to find different ways to make Kakching a Unique place and Unique city to attract businesses, tourists, educators, and investors from around the globe. It is a globalized world - no more Kakching Namungba.
That is what I have in mind for today. Seriously, Kakching needs to pay attention to a reasonably clean local politics, a tolerable peaceful community, a drug/alcohol free society (to the best possible level), a school system of excellence, a park and recreation center for citizens' physical health and mental insenity, local clubs that cater to clean hangout places for teenagers, a library with internet access for global informatics, a business friendly community with minimal bandhs, and Kakching diaspora working outside co-operating with local intellectuals and policy makers, providing ORIGINAL AND INNOVATIVE IDEAS that are suited locally for sustainable economic development.
Wish you all the best. And do not be hesitant to give your opinions freely. One opinion is no go - two opinions are inadequate - 3-4-5-6 and multiple ideas will synthesize the best outcome. Nothing is personal - agreement or disagreement are on the issues - that is what we have to advocate and learn to learn from other's views.