Water scarcity hits hard Langathel farmers
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, March 30 2023:
Even though pre-monsoon rainfall brought some hope in the state, the meagre rainfall for a couple of days was not enough to address the water crisis being faced by the people in the state.
As the water crisis continues, farmers in Langathel Loukol under Wangjing Tentha assembly constituency are facing the brunt of the situation forcing them to buy water from private tankers for watering plants in their farms.
Members of Khallei Sillup along with media persons paid a visit to the farms in the area on Thursday to assess the situation.
Interacting with the media, farmer Moirangthem Loken said that Langathel Loukol has been producing various vegetables for decades.
Unlike in the past, farmers in the area are facing acute shortage of water this time.
As a result, some farmers are pumping water from Langathel river while some are digging up ponds to store water from the river.
On the other hand, farmers, who could not afford such arrangements, are forced to buy water from private tankers for watering the plants.
In the absence of long-term measures from the government to prevent such situation, farmers in the area might be discouraged from continuing agricultural activities, Loken elaborated.
He then appealed to the government to construct a check dam in Langathel River to store water during lean season, supply irrigation water in fields along the river when it dries up, and to divert water flow from Sekmai River to Langathel River to keep the river perennial.
Khallei Sillup president Maibam Sunil said that despite the hardships they are facing due to water scarcity, farmers in the area are not giving up as they are making one or another arrangement to sustain farming.
It would not be wrong to say that farmers in the area have made themselves a symbol of resilience and determination, he said, while drawing attention of the government to encourage the farmers by taking up immediate measures as well as long term measures to prevent recurrence of such situations in future.