Farmers demand functional LLI
Source: Chronicle News Service
Bishnupur, June 14 2021:
Farmers residing in command area have urged authority concerned to make functional Pump House No.1 of Loktak Lift Irrigation (LLI) project at Ningthoukhong so that the food producers could get irrigation water to start sowing of seeds for transplantation in their paddy fields.
According to some concerned farmers, the LLI project covers Imphal Main, Low Level and High Level canals, and Moirang Low and High Level Canals, but the paddy fields in these areas are still remaining uncultivated as LLI does not function and cleansing works of canals are going in full swing at present.
Questioning the logic behind dredging/cleansing of the canals when farmers need water the most, some farmers alleged that blocking water of the canal in the name of development work indeed is anti-farmer and such infrastructure augmentation works could have been taken up between January to May when farming activities generally cease and do not need water.
These farmers also appealed to government to look into the matter at the earliest so that farmers could start sowing paddy seeds.