15 ha of paddy fields still remain parched
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, June 30 2009:
The thoubal Multipurpose Project at Nongpok Keithelmanbi has not released water through its right canal leaving about 15 hectares of paddy fields completely dry and parched.
Nahakpam Ibotombi and other members of the Thoubal Dam Right Main Canal Farmers' Association today took a team of reporters to the parched fields on the side of the right main canal for a spot inspection.
The farmers showed the reporters the condition of the dried and grassy right canal which the contractors had not properly worked.
The reporters found several shallow and narrow areas in the canal.
Late RK Ranbir, while he was the Chief Minister of Manipur, had laid the foundation stone of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project on June 1, 1991 .
However, there has been no water in the fields of Kamu Cheeng, Nongbram, Tera Urak, Leirongthel, Nunggoipokpi and Yairipok Changamdabi during the last 20 years.
Since the rainfall has been very scanty this year, the farmers will face a lot of hardship unless water is given to the areas.
In the past years, they did not face so much problem as there were sufficient rainfall.
Digging of the right main canal at Keithelmanbi Cheengmei has been left unfinished.
The width and the depth of the canal is short of two metres, and about 200 metre of the canal is yet to be developed.
If water is released in the right main canal, the present condition of the canal cannot hold the volume of the water.
There are possibilities of the water overflowing the canal and flooding the villages east of the canal.
Therefore, the department concerned should dig up the remaining part of the canal very soon, the farmer said.
Since the canal is yet to be dug in Chanam Lok Machin areas, if water happens to be released in the canal, it can not reach Leirongthel Bitra.
The chances of flooding Nongbram are very high.
Therefore, the villagers of both villages are in a position of daggers being drawn.
The farmers blamed the engineers of IFCD for the present condition of the canal.
There had been seven Chief Engineers, but except SD Gangte, none of the Chief Engineers had inspected the canal.
They demanded further posting of SD Gangte as the Chief Engineer.
IFC Minister N Biren had released water through the left canal only.
His personal visit to the area was very encouraging, but at the same time he must see that water can be released in the right canal as well.