The Information Centre for Hill Areas, Manipur (ICHAM) conducted a surprise visit to Thangal Surung (cave) located nearby Saikul Sub-division in Senapati district, Manipur on Saturday.
Saikul constituency MLA Yamthong Haokip, ICHAM president Rajendro, Thangal Surung village headman K Lengkham, volunteers of ICHAM along with a media team conducted the tour.
During the inspection trip, MLA Haokip said that the Thangal Surung is an ancient cave and King Charairongba had paid frequent visits to the site.
“There is also a belief that the Thangal Surung has an exit that connects with Kangla Fort at Imphal,” he said.
He accused the state Government of not taking care of the ancient cave owing to which the important features of the cave is losing day by day, terming it as unfortunate.
Haokip suggested that the site could be changed into an attractive tourist spot if the Government develops it besides it could be a beautiful memorial site of the future generation that can connect and renew the past relationship of the hill and plain people. ICHAM president Boy said such historical sites in Manipur are on the verge of extinction and the body condemns the Government for its failure to preserve these sites.
He said it was found that the tunnel of the Thangal Surung having choked by heaps of earth slid from Jhum cultivation or Shifting cultivation in the area.
He said, “Peace and harmony will prevail in Manipur only when the people of both the hill and plain study the history of Manipur and preserve it together.”
A memorandum was later submitted to the Chief Minister through MLA Haokip demanding for construction of General Thangal guest house and his statute with toilet and fencing at his birth place Thangal village.
Construction of an about 15 km-long road from Thangal Surung village to Thangal Surung and development of retaining wall and drainage at Eco-Tourism, Thangal Surung villagew ere also proposed in the memorandum.
The Thangal Surung Village Authority also submitted another memorandum to the MLA during the trip to the village urging him for construction of a UGB School building at Thangal Surung village.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/thangal-cave/
