Standing crops damaged in Ukhrul villages
Source: The Sangai Express / Mungchan Zimik
Ukhrul, July 08 2017:
Following the heavy and continuous downpour in the district in the last one week, massive tracts of paddy fields situated at the river bank of Lamlang river have been washed away with the river overflowing its bank.
Speaking to this correspondent, the headman of Lamlang village, Phungnang gave a brief account of the destruction caused by the overflowing water and explained that the over flowing water has deposited chunks of mud in the paddy field damaging the standing crops .
The fishes reared in the field have also all escaped .
According to him, huge tracts of land covering nine different major paddy field areas Hongchao, Litji, Nitrei, Rashoi, Khaying, Yakrei, Chanwoi, Napik and Mirang measuring about 12 hectares have been destroyed by land slip from the upland .
With the river embankment badly damaged the river course has also changed direction .
Paddy cum pisciculture mixed farming is very common at Lamlang, producing huge quantity of fish from the agricultural land.
According to the headman, the agricultural land is for three neighbouring villages namely, Lamlang, Shimtang and Seikhor .
The field produces more than 6000 tins of paddy annually while income from the sale of fish from the paddy fields runs into a handsome amount.
The fish is in high demand in the market for their extremely palatable taste .
The villagers have urged the State Government to provide necessary relief assistance considering the plight of the cultivators who rely on the agricultural products for their livelihood .
Earlier Lamlang river had swept away a man, Wungreithot on July 5 while he was on his way to his paddy field and his lifeless body was recovered only yesterday after days of frantic search by the villagers.