By Lt. Col. L. Manongba (Indian Army Veteran)

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 Sawoumbung relief camps of Imphal East. While the world celebrated the joyous Christmas, our team was out to complete the task. We handed over LPG Heavy duty stoves & LPG initial refill charges to the “One Hundredth Relief Camp”.  Mission accomplished with 200 heavy duty LPG burners and cash support for 200 cylinder refills. 

Today, the Chakhum-gi Meiri team visited the largest relief camps at Ideal Girls College, Akampat of Imphal East with 886 IDPs fully dependent on firewood for daily cooking needs.

In this community kitchen, cooking is done using 25 large utensils, known as “Korfus”. In the morning, cooking occurs 2 to 3 times, with 8 Korfus used at a time (16 for rice and 8 for curry). The same amount of cooking is repeated in the evening. Approximately 200 to 300 kilograms of firewood are used daily, totaling 6000 to 9000 kilograms (in a month. The kitchen duty involves 5 to 6 men at a time, along with 6 women responsible for vegetable preparation. Utensil cleaning is a significant task for men & women, involving 25 to 30 large Korfus each day. It is estimated that approx 20 to 30 truckloads of firewood per month were being used in these 100 to 130 relief camp community kitchens.

On 25 Dec 2023, “The Chakhum-gi Meiri team” provided 6 LPG stoves and gas cylinder refill charges in the presence of Nodal Officer Imphal East, James Konsam. With the use of LPG gas for cooking, time for firewood ignitions would be saved, and not only overall cooking time but also cleaning time would be significantly reduced. Energy-efficient LPG gas will reduce the carbon footprint of the kitchen. The inmates can make breakfast for school-going students which otherwise they are handling in individual capacities at additional cost and time for every individual family.

The team also visited Sawombung pre-fabricated facilities whereby an extra LPG stove was provided in the community Kitchen 1 and 3 respectively.

How the “Flame was ignited”: The Journey of the “Meiri”.

On September 30, 2023, while visiting Oksongbung relief camp of Bishnupur district, a few volunteers felt the need to change large quantities of firewood being used in these kitchens to cooking by LPG. Later it was followed by a group of like-minded peoples  & 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.

The team began with  a mission of “Transforming every Chakhum of Relief Camps with LPG facilities.”

The use of LPG over firewood has its economic advantages and is better thermal efficient. This choice helps save energy and time during the cooking process, ensuring that children can attend school punctually. Additionally, it aids in avoiding the long-term side effects of smoke inhalation and saves time and effort otherwise spent on cleaning blackened pots.

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. 6 lacs and 200 burners were planned to fulfill this mission.

A WhatsApp group was made on October 10, 2023, and started inviting people through individual networking to join this 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 in Kolkata. The challenges of the bulk transportation were supported by the Assam Rifle by air-lifting from Kolkata to Imphal, under a special arrangement.

With the passing days, many camps are found to be closed and merged with another 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.

Hence, with the coverage of a total of 100 relief camps, the mission is declared completed as of December 25, 2023.

The group is working on its next impactful mission to improve the cook houses of all the Relief camps. The volunteers and benevolent people, Unknown faces to each other, have pledged to ensure – “Chakhum-gi Meiri Mut-han-gumsi” – The Flame of the Home & Hearth must remain alive.  

This mission is supported by generous individual donors and mission partners. The social media promotions were also supported by social media partners and printing requirements, by printing partners. 

Individual Contributions (111 members, 1.48 lacs)

Our mission partners (15, contributions – 4.68 lacs)

3. Siroi Offset Printers

1. MAHEI Civil Services Institute

2. Saanica Supermart, Moirang

3. Manipuri Association of Canada – MAC

4. Babina Diagnostics

5. Siroi Financial Consultancy Pvt Ltd

6. Global Manipur Federation, GMF Australia Chapter

7. European Manipuri Association

8. Padma Diagnostic Centre

9. Karnataka Meitei Association

10. Siroi Solutions, Malaysia

11. Athobi’s Tarot Healing, New Delhi

12. Delhi Meitei Forum

13. Shri Om Sai Multispeciality Hospital, Rajasthan

13. Korea Manipuri Association

14. Association of Meiteis in the Americas

15. Hotel Siroy Lily, Guwahati

Social Media & Printing Partners

1. Social Media Express

2. Eramdam Paodam

Why are we doing it?

•           LPG is more economical than Firewood

•           Save Energy & Time for Cooking

•           Children can go to school on time

•           Avoid long-term side effects of smokes

•           Save time & effort from cleaning blackened pots

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