Tribal communities in Manipur’s hill districts are raising their voices against absentee governance. From Tengnoupal to Phrezawl, residents accuse Deputy Commissioners of deserting official posts, leaving conflict-affected populations without access to vital services.
BY PC Bureau
July 30, 2025: A surge of public appeals from tribal-dominated hill districts has once again drawn attention to the chronic administrative neglect and absenteeism of key officers in Manipur’s sensitive border regions. Following widespread public outrage over the absence of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Tengnoupal at the District Headquarters, fresh demands have now emerged from another tribal-dominated hill district—Phrezawl—highlighting the growing resentment over administrative neglect in Manipur’s remote regions.
The appeals from both civil society groups and elected representatives hves once again brought into sharp focus the troubling trend of key government officers avoiding their designated headquarters in the hills and instead operating from valley locations that are largely inaccessible—and often unsafe—for the tribal population.
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In separate complaints, civil society organisations from Phrezawl and elected representatives from Tengnoupal have demanded immediate intervention from Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla to ensure that Deputy Commissioners (DCs) are stationed at their respective district headquarters and not operating remotely from valley locations inaccessible to the tribal population.
Phrezawl Demands Fully Functional DC Office at District HQ
In a formal letter addressed to Governor Bhalla, multiple civil society organisations under the joint banner of Hmar Youth Association, Hmar Students’ Association, and regional Hmar Inpuis have raised alarm over the continued absence of a functional Deputy Commissioner at the district headquarters in Phrezawl/Parbung.
Despite being created in 2016, Phrezawl district has yet to witness a DC operating effectively from its headquarters. “Since the district’s creation, we have never seen a Deputy Commissioner actively running the office at DHQ, even on important days like Republic Day and Independence Day,” the joint memorandum stated.
Highlighting the strained ethnic dynamics between the hills and the valley, the memorandum asserted that only a locally stationed DC can effectively serve the people. The signatories urged the Governor to:
- Immediately order the DC to function from the district headquarters.
- Appoint a new DC from mainland India capable of traveling freely between regions.
- Appoint an additional Deputy Commissioner to aid in administrative efficiency.
Tengnoupal Faces Similar Grievance: MLA Letpao Haokip Raises Alarm
The complaint from Phrezawl comes on the heels of a damning letter from Tengnoupal MLA Letpao Haokip, who has alleged that the Deputy Commissioner of Tengnoupal, Saurabh Yadav, has been evading his post by operating from a Meitei-dominated village, Kakching Lamkhai, instead of the official district headquarters. According to Haokip’s letter dated July 25, this deviation not only violates administrative protocol but also endangers the safety and welfare of Kuki-Zo citizens.
“He usually functions in a village bordering Kakching District, avoiding public interests,” Haokip wrote, adding that the location is practically off-limits to Kuki-Zo residents due to lingering ethnic tensions. Community leaders from Tengnoupal have backed these claims, citing past abductions and violence in Kakching Lamkhai, which have rendered it a no-go zone for them.
One viral post on social media captured the sentiment: “Our DC is supposed to be stationed at the district headquarters, not in a Meitei stronghold where we can’t even go to file documents without fear of being attacked.”
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Despite repeated pleas from the public and their elected representative, the DC continues to operate from a rented house far removed from the district he is supposed to serve. A social media appeal tagged to the IAS Association and Governor Bhalla questioned the ethics of such conduct:
“Is it ethical or professional for an IAS officer to function from a place where the concerned public cannot set foot?”
Special Story: Ten DCs in Nine Years: Who Cares for Manipur’s Hill Districts?#Manipur #Tengnoupal #HillDevelopment #DCTransfers #GovernanceCrisis #NeglectedHills #NorthEastIndia #BureaucraticApathy #PolicyFailure https://t.co/m6o43roSp1
— POWER CORRIDORS (@power_corridors) July 28, 2025
Hill Communities Unite in Demand for Administrative Justice
Both incidents underscore a growing concern among hill communities that the Manipur state machinery is turning a blind eye to their safety and governance needs. Inadequate access to essential services due to absent officers and misplaced district offices has not only hampered local development but also widened the gap between already-fractured ethnic communities.
With tensions still simmering from last year’s violence, political observers and civil society leaders warn that continued negligence could trigger widespread protests and further alienation of tribal populations. “The government must urgently re-evaluate how and where public officers are posted. Neutrality, access, and accountability are non-negotiable,” said a senior Northeast affairs analyst.
Both the Phrezawl and Tengnoupal appeals demand swift action—from appointing competent officers to ensuring their physical presence at official district headquarters—so that administration becomes visible, functional, and accessible once again.
As the pressure mounts, all eyes are now on Raj Bhavan and the IAS Association to see if they will respond to these united cries for justice from the neglected hills of Manipur.
