The government claimed Leisang in Manipur was the last village to be electrified in the country
Some 80 people at a village in Manipur have finally got power connection in their homes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had claimed that Leisang village, 100 kilometres from Manipur's capital Imphal, was the last village in the country to get electricity.
Glowing bulbs and televisions are seen in the houses now. But the villagers say there are miles to go -- for example, to collect water.
"After light came we are overjoyed. But electricity does not solve all our problems. We have to fetch water from a source two kilometres away. It's dirty. We have to filter and boil and distil. Many of us have water-borne disease," said Lhingboi, a homemaker in Leisang.
Though PM Modi himself tweeted about Leisang being the last village in the country to be electrified, the light at the end of the tunnel for the people of the village is still some distance away.
NDTV spent a day with the villagers who are delighted their lives are now illuminated, but praying for almost every other basic amenity and hoping their village won't hit headlines again as the last one to get a usable road.
The stream 2 km away is a seasonal one that dries up in summer into a muddy trickle.
First settled in 1972, Leisang had 40 families then. Only 14 are left now. People have migrated downhill as Leisang does not have a road where vehicles can run. The village becomes inaccessible during monsoon.
"Our life will not change totally only with electricity. Basic amenities are needed. The most important is a village road at least. We are completely isolated during monsoon," said DN Kuki, a villager.
Leisang's nearest high school and primary health centre are 10 km away.