Relief works to several villages in four districts of Manipur

April 27th 2020

Chadong :: Relief works to several villages in four districts of Manipur on 21st April, 2020

The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRA, Manipur) together with the United Voluntary Youth Council (UVYC) has provided relief works to several villages in the four districts of Manipur from 21st April in coordination and support by the Association for India’s Development to cope up with the impacts of COVID-19 lockdown.

The CRA, Manipur prioritized villages whose livelihood are already threatened by the pursuance of unsustainable development processes and projects and whose livelihood are further worsened by restrictions of Covid-19 lockdown in Manipur.

On 21st April, the CRA, Manipur and UVYC provided rice, potato, lentils, sugar, oil and sanitary items like soap to the villages of Chadong and Ramrei Villages in Kamjong district, whose agriculture land and forest are submerged by the Mapithel dam.

Further on 22 April, essential livelihood items were also provided to the villagers of Tumukhong Village and to selected households of Nungbrung, Laikhong, Kamuching etc in Imphal East District. The livelihood of these villages in the downstream areas of Mapithel dam are adversely affected due to impoundment of sand and stone by Mapithel dam.

At Nungba in Tamenglong District :: Relief works to several villages in four districts of Manipur

The CRA, Manipur and UVYC also provided some relief items to selected households in villages of Heisnam, Salam, Karang etc in Thanga constituency in Bishenpur District on 24th April. Many of these villages in Loktak wetlands encountered survival hardship since the inundation of their agriculture land by Ithai Barrage of 105 MW Loktak multipurpose hydroelectric project, commissioned in 1983.

The organizations continued to provide relief work to villagers of Wakha Village on 25th April. The organizations also provided relief to selected villagers of Nungba village and Kambiron (Puilon) Village in Tamenglong District on 26th April. The livelihood of villagers of these village are constrained due to acquisition of their land for infrastructure projects, viz Trans Asian Railway etc.

CRA, Manipur would like to state that indigenous peoples’ access and management of their land and resources has proven to ensure their livelihood in difficult situations like Covid 19 outbreak providing food and medicine.

Tumukhong Village :: Relief works to several villages in four districts of Manipur

The Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur would like to urge upon the Government of Manipur to respond to the need of essential items and medical items in the far flung and remote areas of Manipur, to uphold the community rights over their land and resources and to desist promoting unsustainable development processes in indigenous peoples land in Manipur.

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(Sanaton Laishram)
President
Centre For Research And Advocacy, Manipur
Paona Bazar, Imphal Manipur India 795001