Absence of Medical Officers at NHPC Leimatak PHC Irks KSO

The Kuki Students’ Organisation (KSO), Leimata Block, has announced intensified democratic agitation over the alleged chronic absence of medical officers at the National Hydroelectric Power Corporation (NHPC) Primary Health Centre (PHC) at Leimatak.

The KSO said it has repeatedly raised the issue with the NHPC project management and other concerned authorities, urging immediate intervention to ensure regular availability of doctors at the health centre.

According to the organisation, it first issued a statement on August 27 condemning the alleged absence of doctors and served a 48-hour ultimatum to the NHPC project management. The KSO said the issue became particularly serious after a student from Tumjangphai Primary School was rushed to the PHC for emergency medical attention on the same day, but allegedly could not receive treatment due to the absence of a doctor.

On August 29, the KSO issued another statement giving the authorities a further 24-hour ultimatum and called for immediate engagement and resolution of the matter.

The organisation said the latest ultimatum has now expired without any meaningful response from the NHPC or other concerned authorities.

“Despite our utmost patience, restraint, and anticipation, neither the NHPC authorities nor the concerned authorities have demonstrated any meaningful response or concern towards our legitimate demands,” the KSO said in its latest statement.

The KSO alleged that the continued inaction of the authorities had left it with no option but to proceed with the course of action announced earlier. It said it would launch an intensified series of democratic forms of agitation with immediate effect and continue the movement indefinitely until concrete measures are taken to address the grievances.

The organisation also appealed to civil society organisations, community leaders and the general public to extend their support and cooperation to the movement.

According to the KSO, the agitation is being undertaken in the collective interest of residents and affected populations of the NHPC Loktak and Leimatak Power Houses, whose concerns over access to healthcare, among other issues, remain unresolved.

The organisation further alleged that NHPC’s failure to ensure adequate healthcare facilities at the project area amounted to a breach of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) obligations. It maintained that the local community, which hosts the power project and contributes land and environmental resources, should not be denied access to basic healthcare.

While announcing the intensified agitation, the KSO said it remained willing to resolve the matter through structured dialogue and negotiation. However, it warned that it would no longer tolerate what it described as “stalling tactics” while the health and safety of the public remained at risk.