SoS : Tamenglong oranges dying, losing its juiciness; Dist Horticulture office indifferent
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 28 2012:
Even as Tamenglong district, the orange basket of Manipur, is fast losing its orange plants owing to an unknown plant disease, the District Horticulture office has been remaining locked since the past few years without paying any attention to the serious menace.
It is said that orange plants in the district are dying without any fathomable reason, while the oranges produced from different villages of the district are also losing its juicy taste.
At this critical juncture, instead of paying attention to the serious threat, officials and scientists of District Horticulture office have been enjoying the comforts of keeping the office locked since the past few years.
Representatives of Zeliangrong Women Union (Assam, Manipur, Nagaland), Kabui Mother's Association and Information Centre for Hill Areas Manipur recently conducted an inspection tour of the district with a team of reporters in this regard.
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According to orange farmers, with the sharp decrease in orange production owing to constant dying of orange plants, orange farmers are facing lots of financial hardships.
Many of these farmers send their wards to Imphal and other States for education with the profit earned from orange farming.
However, with sharp decrease in orange production, it is now hard to even maintain their daily needs, the farmers said.
Apart from Horticulture office, Veterinary, Agriculture and Fishery offices are not functioning in the district.
The interior district is also facing similar apathy in public infrastructures and amenities as well.
Tamenglong market shed where many traders and villagers come to earn their livelihood has now become outdated and congested.
Many have started occupying roadside spaces for selling vegetables and eatables thereby giving inconvenience to pedestrians and traffic movement.
The condition is no different at District Hospital as well, the 35-bedded hospital does not have blood bank and OPD is being run in a congested single room.
X-ray and ultra sound machines are gathering dust with no technician to operate it since past many months.
Speaking to reporters, hospital staff urged the Government to construct quarters for hospital staff and depute atleast a few specialist doctors at the hospital.
Zeliangrong Women Union president A Gangmei said that Tamenglong College is facing the problem of shortage of teachers although the college has sizable number of students.
The outstation students have to stay in rented rooms as the college does not have the hostel facility.
The president also urged the Government to change 40-km Khongshang-Tamenglong road to double lane.