Deficient rain causes havoc in hills as well
Government apathy decried, relief sought
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 24 2012: 'Even though the farmers are reeling under insufficient rainfall, the state government has not given any attention to the plights of the suffering farmers in the hills'
� Pastor Fokre, Maram Khullen .

The deficient rainfall owing to late arrival of monsoons has not only affected the lives of the farmers in the plains, but also their counterparts in the hills with most paddy fields remaining dried and crops withering from want of sufficient water.

According to reports pouring in, deficient rainfall in the state has hit hard agricultural activities in Maram Khullen under Tadubi A/C, Saikot under Saikul A/C and Phaijol under Lamlai A/C as well.

In Maram Khullen, the paddy fields have all dried up and rendering them unfit for cultivation.

The situation is worst in Maopungdung village of Maram Khullen.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Pastor Fokre of Maram Khullen said that even though the farmers of the village are reeling under insufficient rainfall, the state government has not given any attention to the plights of the suffering farmers.

Cracks developing in a paddy field following deficient rainfall

Cracks developing in a paddy field following deficient rainfall

The Ministers and other officials concerned reportedly visited to take stock of the situation in different parts of the state, but they did not come to Maram Khullen to see how the farmers are suffering and share the grief and sorrow of the villagers, the Pastor lamented.

He also informed that the state government has not provided any water pump sets for the farmers in Maram Khullen although distributing water pumps was done at proper Senapati area.

Meanwhile, Phaijol and Laikot located under Saikul and Lamlai A/Cs respectively have also been badly hit by shortage of rainfall.

People of these two villages also expressed disappointment over the alleged indifferent attitude of the state government towards their plight.

Speaking to Hueiyen Lanpao, Ashon Kharam of Laikot village said that no Minister or Govt official have come to help the people so far.

It is said that the Ministerial teams deputed by the state government to assess drought situation did not inspect the conditions of the paddy fields in the hills.

Jhum cultivation along the road to Tongou village of Ukhrul lying barren from want of sufficient rain

Even the paddy fields in Laikot and Phaijol, which are part of plain areas, were missed out by the visiting Ministerial teams, Ashon lamented.

He informed that there are around 30 paris of paddy fields in Laikot and Phaijol area alone.

But following deficient rain, the paddy fields in these two villages have been rendered unfit for cultivation.

Apart from acute shortage of water for ploughing the paddy fields, people in the two villages are also suffering from shortage of drinking water, electricity and health facilities, he added and appealed to the authority concerned to look into the matter with seriousness.

Meanwhile, All Tribal Chiefs' Forum, Manipur has pointed out that the jhum cultivation in the hill districts of Manipur, particularly in Nungba Sub-Division, Khoupum Block, Tamei and Tousem Block under Tamenglong district and also in Ukhrul, Chandel and Churachandpur district have failed totally due to scarcity of rainfall.

In a statement, the Forum has appealed to the state government for extending relief to the victims.