Unity over water crisis
- Hueiyen Lanpao Editorial :: April 29, 2014 -
In a unique show of solidarity to the cause of the people, six political parties in the State come together on Monday to deliberate on the issue of scarcity of water that the people are facing currently and decided to exert pressure on the Governor for giving necessary directive to the State administration for solving the problem.
They also warned of a sustained agitation in case of the failure of the State administration to ensure supply of daily water requirement to the public at the earliest possible.
During the joint meeting, the leaders of State units of BJP, NCP, JD (U), AAP and MPP further decided to submit a representation jointly in this regard to the Governor on Tuesday highlighting the urgent necessity for framing a long term state water policy under the frame-work of the National Water Policy, giving special emphasis on taking up projects and schemes related to rain water harvesting, rain water conservation, river conservation and water budgeting by the state government, controlling the practice of jhum cultivation and deforestation in the hill areas of the State, restoration or construction of water bodies and taking up mass tree plantation drive in the hill areas in co-ordination with all related departments.
Another pertinent point that the six political parties are set to raise is the upgradation of the existing but outdated State Irrigation and Flood Control Department (IFCD) as 'State Department of Water Resources' under the mandate of the Ministry of Water Resources, Government of India.
More that such show of unity among the political parties, what we really appreciate was the important decisions and suggestions that have come from the side of these political parties, which normalcy never fail to see eye to eye on addressing any issues in the State.
Apart from drought and drought like situation that the State has witnessed over last few years, it is common knowledge how Manipur has remained under the looming threat of water crisis as a consequence of drastic change in its climatic condition and disturbance in the hydrological cycle due to various reasons including unchecked deforestation, unplanned urbanisation and ever increasing human population among others.
While the greed of the same people, settling both in the hills and the valley areas, who are today crying hoarse over the recurring problem of shortage of water, are as much responsible for some of these factors, the failure of the Government to take up necessary remedial measures without waiting for the crisis to erupt and the silence of the opposition parties and their leaders from taking the Government into task on timely basis, have only added to the dimension of the problem faced by the people.
Let bygone be bygone, it is good to know that at least six political parties have come together to raise the issue of current water crisis in such a forceful manner that even the State Cabinet has been compelled to take resolution not just on immediate measures to be taken up to tackle the present water crisis and also make legislation to address any water crisis in the future.
This kind of unity that cut through political ideologies is what Manipur calls for today not just for solving the present water crisis, but also other myriad issues afflicting the State.
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