Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 10:
Informing that 11 children have died in the last two months due to food grain scarcity and malnutrition in four villages of Tipaimukh sub-division following the famine like situation caused by extensive bamboo flowering in the area, the Hmar Students' Association has demanded to dispatch additional quota of rice immediately.
According to a press release issued by Hmar Students' Association, Tipaimukh Joint Headquarters, of the 11 children who have succumbed to malnutrition, six belonged to Lungthulien, three to Leisen, one each to Parbung and Patpuihmun.
While the people of Tipaimukh sub-division and its adjoining areas have been reeling under the hard impact of Mautam (bamboo flowering) and the resulting scarcity of food grains compounded by diseases and death directly or indirectly due to the current famine like situation, the FCS Department is still unable to decide on how rice and other items should be transported to these families facing famine.
Even as the people of Tipaimukh have been waiting in vain for relief for the last six months, the FCS Department remains indecisive whether transportation of rice and other items should be entrusted to the nominees of MLAs or to Deputy Commissioners.
Till now, no relief food grains except for the existing quota of rice and few quintals of rice under NREGS have been given to the people.
No additional rice has been allocated so far.
Neither the Governor nor the Chief Minister nor the Chief Secretary nor the Deputy Commissioner have initiated any measure to increase the quota of rice for these families facing famine, lamented the student body.
In addition to its demand for food grain stock of at least three months, the HSA sought immediate deployment of a medical team with adequate equipment and medicine in Tipaimukh area.