Water scarcity hits Tipaimukh
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, April 27: Coupled with the global climatic change, large scale deforestation activities have resulted in acute shortage of water in Tipaimukh sub-division of Churachandpur district.

Though the hills slopes of Tipaimukh were covered with thick forest cover not long ago, this precious trees were cut down and burnt to clear land for extensive cultivation of ginger.

Driven by their desire to earn quick money and having very limited source of income, the villagers unwittingly took up ginger cultivation on a large scale by clearing forest trees.

This pic of a woman fetching water exemplifies water woes

Such reckless deforestation activity, if not check properly by devising a more environment friendly method of ginger cultivation or providing some other means of livelihood to the villagers, will ultimately lead to a more disastrous situation in not very distant future.

Hit by scarcity of water, people of Tipaimukh sub-division used to fetch water from far away gorges/water-holes everyday.

In some other villages, people were seen using water brought down from tiny streamlets.

But no water supply scheme could be observed.

This was discovered by this reporter during a visit to the sub-division a few days back.

With most of the hill slopes becoming almost bare, ground water level has gone down as there are no trees to absorb water.

In the wake of the death of 30 infants in Tipaimukh sub-division due to an unknown disease, a health camp was organised there from April 21 to 24 by some doctors of RIMS under the aegis of RIMS Director Prof L Fimate.

Many villagers who came to the health camp complained of burning sensation while urinating and colouration of urine.

On the other hand, 79 year old Lallowmbel Hmar of Senvon village located to the border of Mizoram said that they have been subsisting on paan and haa subsequent upon the famine like situation caused by extensive bamboo flowering.

Saying that the family has rice for just two/three days, the aged man said that after this the family has no other option but to wait for the blessing of God.

He also conveyed great apprehension for extreme hardships once the rainy season sets in.

Neither the Government is distributing rice free of cost nor the rice is available in the village even if one has money to buy it, he lamented.

Yet, sometimes BPL rice can be bought from a nearby village of Mizoram in the black market at the rate of Rs 15 per kgs.

In addition to free distribution of 10 kgs of rice to each household by church representatives in between, the villagers get some small quantity of rice as wages for working under NREGS, he conveyed.

Release demand continues : Demanding unconditional release of Brojen, Deban and Sachi arrested by commandos from Cheiraoching on April 13, Meira Paibis staged protest sittings at different places today.

The protest sittings were staged at Heirangoithong, Chingtham Leikai, Mongshangei, Konjeng Leikai and Ningthemcha Karong.

Meira Paibis of Mayang Imphal also staged a similar protest sitting at Yumnam Leikai Thiyam Leishangkhong Kabui community hall for the same cause today.