Famine status urged for Tamenglong district
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, October 14 2012:
Nungba Area Citizen Welfare Association has submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister O Ibobi urging him to declare Tamenglong as a district affected by rodent menace.
Predicting a devastating famine in the coming months, the association speculated starvation deaths if necessary measures are not taken up in time.
200-500 tins of paddy are normally harvested by a family every year in the district, the memorandum said and added that only 20-30 tins were reaped per family this year due to serious rodent menace, which has affected the crops.
As the said harvest is likely to last only upto the end of December this year, the district is on the verge of facing a famine, the memorandum asserted further.
It also urged the Chief Minister to make necessary arrangement to provide the farmers an alternative means of livelihood through relief and supply of quality seeds of rabi crops to make up the food deficit.