Climate change hits Tamenglong
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Daniel Kamei
Tamenglong, December 19 2013:
In what could be termed as a visible sign of the impact of changes in the climatic condition, most of the springs and other water sources traditionally used for drawing water for domestic purposes in Tamenglong district have dried up.
Comparing to the last two years, Tamenglong received very low rainfall this year and as such springs and streams, including wells have become dried even though dry season has just started.
Hit by this water crisis, people could be seen standing in queue for long hours since early morning every day just to draw at least two or three buckets of water for domestic use at most water sources.
In the meantime, stopping of drinking water supply by PHED since December 9 has compounded to the problem of the people in the district headquarters.
Empty water tanks could be seen lying in Tamenglong Ward No.I to X as there has been no water supply for the last two months in these areas.
When Hueiyen Lanpao went to inquire about the reason for stopping water supply, no official could be found in the office of PHED located at Duigailong.
One woman who claimed to be chowkidar told Hueiyen Lanpao that all the officials left for Imphal.
At the water reservoir of the composite water supply scheme, Pousuamhu, the chowkidar, also informed that the officials brought machine parts and repaired the damaged water pomp, but all of them left for Imphal today.
Pousuamhu disclosed that the water pump was damaged and hence the supply of water in the district was stopped.
Nonetheless, he assured that supply of drinking water would resume from day after tomorrow and appealed to the public of Tamenglong to use water efficiently and abstain from un-authorized connection as the Zeilan pond, the only source of water of the scheme is also drying up.
Disappearing of sparrow from the district headquarters is another visible sign of the impact of climate change in Tamenglong.
Very few sparrows were last seen in the month of June and July this year.
However, not a single sparrow could be spotted now-a-days.
The days and nights during the summer season are very hot.
However, with the onset of winter season, the nights and mornings are extremely cold while it is very hot during day time.
Another sure sign that climate change is here to stay in Tamenglong district if the people do not wake up and take up necessary precautionary measures to offset its impact.