Imphal, January 19 2010: The 6th District Level Lime Festival organised by Kachai Fruit Farming and Processing under the aegis of Department of Horticulture and Soil Conservation, DRDA, Ukhurl and ICAR, Imphal was held at the ground of Kachai High School today.

Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul district, N Ashok Kumar, who was the chief guest, opened the festival at 10.30 am.

President of All Manipur Working Journalists' Union (AMWJU), S Hemanta and SDO, Ukhrul, Chithin were president and guest of honour respectively at the festival.

In all, 138 stalls of lime took part in the festival, of which the main feature was competition of the produce of the lime.

As a rule of the festival, too much limes were not allowed to be stored at the stalls.

The competition was not for highest production of lime but the size and juice of the limes.

Mrs RK Langamphi (40) bagged the first prize of the festival while Mrs K Luingamla (40) and Mrs S Ningamla won the second and the third prizes respectively.

The lime grown by RK Langamphi was 70.7 mm in length and 66 mm in diameter, and produces 64 ml of juice when squeezed.

She secured 95 marks out of a total of 130.Second prize winner Luingamla scored 94 marks while the third prize winner, Ningamla scored 72 marks.

The first prize carries a shield and Rs 5,000 in cash.

The second and the third prizes carry Rs 3,000 and Rs 2,000 respectively. Last year's first prize winner handed over the shield to Mrs Langamphi today.

Speaking as the chief guest of the Lemon festival, Deputy Commissioner of Ukhrul, N Ashok Kumar said that he will mount pressure on the government at his best level to repair the road from Ukhrul to Kachai at the earliest time.

He said, the construction of Ukhrul-Tolloi-Tolloi-Tadubi road would be completed within 2011-12 as the government has entrusted the BRO for the construction.

He further said that the Mahadeva-Tolloi road would also be completed soon.

Ashok Kumar said, the fear of wastage of Lemon produces of Kachai due to bad road communication is a thing of the past as the Horticulture department is waiting to purchase all the produces.

The department will purchase the produces as soon as the festival ends.

The largest producer of lemon at the festival, RK Langamphi said, the size of lemon becomes smaller year by year as the tree grows old.

Apart from this, the lemon growers faced hardship in taking the produces to Imphal's market due to bad road communication.

The produces also got wasted due to frequent shifting of vehicles to the market.

Meanwhile, two persons including a staff reporter of this newspaper sustained injuries when a canter carrying reporters met an accident while returning to Imphal after covering the lemon festival.

The accident occurred at a place near Litan police station in Ukhrul district this evening around 5.The DIPR canter was capsized while trying to avoid collision with a van coming in the opposite direction. Staff reporter of Hueiyen Lanpao, Ningthoukhongjam Sanajaoba of Keibi Makha Leikai and camera man of DIPR, Guna, who sustained injuries in the accident, were rushed to RIMS hospital for treatment instantly.

Guna suffered injuries on the head while Sanajaoba was injured at the chin, lips and mouth.

The victims were assisted by the Volunteer Health Unit of RIMS in treating them at the hospital.

The volunteers also gave free medicines to the victims.

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