Nishikant highlights sorry state of Waisel Maril
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, February 23 2023:
MLA Sapam Nishikant has highlighted the sorry state of Waisel Maril on the floor of the State Assembly today.
In view of the acute water scarcity plaguing the State at present, a vast majority of the people might have been praying for rain.
Moreover, everybody knows that agricultural productivity would be higher if there is enough or abundant rainfall.
However, people of some Assembly segments of Imphal, specially Keishamthong AC have mixed feelings whenever there is a prospect of rainfall.
They are happy at the prospect of rainfall and at the same time, they are worried about possible floods, Nishikant said.
Waisel Maril canal passes through seven Assembly segments namely; Sagolband, Keishamthong, Naoriya Pakhanglakpa, Wangoi, Nambol, Oinam and some parts of Patsoi but its existing condition is rather disappointing, Nishikant told the House.
Waisel Maril is a very important drainage system of Imphal city and it springs from two major points viz; Dhobi Machu Leirak drain and Thounaojam Leikai drain.
It winds up at Yangoi Karong Achouba before it falls into Loktak Lake, the Keishamthong AC MLA said.
All the blame for the current sorry state of Waisel Maril cannot be heaped on the Government alone.
People are also equally responsible, he rued.
Many people have been encroaching upon the canal while many others have been using the canal as a waste disposal site including toilet waste due to the weak garbage collection system.
As a result, the canal is now unbearably stinky, Nishikant said.
There are many stories of people travelling from Imphal to Loktak by boat and of using big fish-nets in Waisel Maril.
It is the wish of the people to restore Waisel Maril to its original shape so that no one can encroach upon it, Nishikant continued.
Until and unless Waisel Maril is properly developed and maintained, floods, flash floods and resulting loss of property and water borne diseases would continue to plague the people of these places drained by the canal, he said.
On account of continuously draining contaminated water in Loktak Lake which is the pride of Manipur, the lake's BOD (Bio Oxygen Demand) level has risen to 200 and it leads to growth of phumdis at an alarming rate, Nishikant said.
Saying that there were several instances of flooding of Imphal International Airport by water overflowing from Waisel Maril, he cautioned that even flight operation may be affected if the problem is not addressed effectively.
He then asked the Water Resources Minister if any course of action or action plan has been chalked out to resolve the problems of Waisel Maril.
Responding to the Kei-shamthong MLA's query, Water Resources Minister Awangbow Newmai said that plans are afoot to develop Waisel Maril.
Awangbow said that a detailed project report (DPR) was prepared after studying the problems of Waisel Maril and the same had been submitted to the National River Conservation Directorate, Ministry of Jal.
Saying that he had talked with the Union Minister of Jal Shakti on Waisel Maril, Awangbow exuded confidence that the Ministry would certainly approve the Waisel Maril DPR.
Reminding that Waisel Maril was de-clogged and de-silted last year at the initiative of the Water Resources Department, Awangbow Newmai informed that the DPR for Waisel Maril is of Rs 42.25 crore.
Taking serious note of rampant deforestation in catchment areas, the department has been studying minutely on how to implement afforestation programmes effectively.
A State Water Informatic Centre has been established under the National Hydrology Project with the objective of enhancing the capacity of water resources information and targeted water resource management, he said.
Further, a new initiative has been launched for monitoring surface and ground water by installing 34 real time data stations at different places, Awangbow said.
He said that two vehicles for mobile water quality tests have also been launched.
After Rs 31 crore was sanctioned under Rehabilitation Improvement Project and Extension Renovation & Modernisation for repairing leaked Imphal Barrage, the process of awarding work order has started, Awang-bow informed the House.
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