Loumi Lup rallies for drought declaration
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 09 2012:
Members of the Manipur Loumi Lup today took out a mass rally urging the State Government to officially declare Manipur as drought hit.
They also submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister pressing the same demand but their attempt to storm the Assembly session was thwarted by police.
On the other hand, the Director of the Agriculture Department has written to the Agriculture Commissioner pointing out that the rainfall received this year is way below the normal rainfall.
The scanty rainfall may result in a drought like situation, said the Director and added that contrary to the normal rain of 739.5 mm, the State has received only 511.9 mm of rain this year.
This makes it less than 75 pc of the normal rainfall, said the Director.
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Taking serious note of the much reduced rainfall which has left vast tracts of paddy fields uncultivable, the Manipur Loumi Lup took out a rally from GM Hall to the Assembly complex this afternoon.
The Manipur Loumi Lup was demanding the Government to admit the situation and make an official declaration that Manipur has been drought affected.
The rally was blocked by police at Khoyathong.
Later some leaders of the Lup were allowed to submit an 11-point memorandum to the Chief Minister.
Some of the major points/demands of the memorandum are formulation of an effective which can counter both flood and drought situations in any part of the year, construction of katcha dams and provision of water pump sets on all rivers for diversion of water to paddy fields etc.
Another major demand of the Lup as highlighted through the memorandum was enforcement of ILPS.