Amar Steel

Working with steel down here in Kakching isn't exactly quiet. Our place is on the Sugnu-Imphal Road, not too far from the BSNL office. If you are driving past, you will probably hear the sound of metal clanging or the grinder going before you actually see the shop. We have got stacks of rods and sheets piled up everywhere, and sometimes it feels like we are running out of room to move. The sun hits the metal and makes the whole yard feel like an oven in the afternoons. We are just a small group of guys who know how to handle these materials. Our hands are usually stained with grease or rust, and that is just part of the job. We don't have a fancy showroom. If someone wants to see what we have, they just walk into the yard and look at the piles. We spend a lot of time measuring things out and cutting them down to size. The road outside stays busy with people traveling between Sugnu and Imphal, so we get a lot of dust blowing in. We keep a water jug in the shade, and that is about as much comfort as we get during the day. It is honest work, even if it is loud and dirty. We have been at this spot for a while now, and the neighbors are used to the noise. We just try to get the orders ready on time so the trucks can take them out.