Underground blaze continues in Old Wahong forest; locals still wary of the phenomenon
Source: Hueiyen News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, July 08 2015 : Days after the recent visit of experts team to the site of the mysterious phenomenon at Old Wahong forest, the underground blaze continues to burn unabated and emit smoke much to the growing apprehension of the inhabitants of Old Wahong and neighbouring villages.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao here on Wednesday, Northern Raphei Students' Union (NRSU) President Agarso Horam said that a team of the students' body independently surveyed the site on July 5 last and found one of the three main sink-holes still burning and emitting smokes though the heat of the other two appeared to have dwindled.

Stating that a joint team of the State Disaster Management-Imphal, Ukhrul District Administration, District Police and other officials visited the site recently, he continued that the official team had collected samples of the burnt soil for testing but did not enlighten the locals about the bizarre occurrence.

"The team had only told the locals that the blaze was due to gas and not dangerous," Horam said adding that even so the villagers are not sure of this as the experts did not give them any convincing explanation on cause of the soil burning.

He further rued that though SDO Jessami has officially issued an order prohibiting entry of public to the fire site, no form of enforcement of the same could be seen there and people might still step into the area as there are no signs indicating the coverage of the fire.

He said that the visible sinkholes could be just outlets for the hot gas and a huge area of land beneath the ground could have been consumed by the fire.

A sound of hollowness could be heard on stamping our feet on the site, he asserted.

"Villagers still suspect that phenomenon could have a serious fall out and the gas might even pose hazard to the environment but the government seems indifferent to this aspects," he said.

According to Horam, inhabitants of Old Wahong and nearby villages like Soraphung, Tusom are still apprehensive as the blaze continues unabated.

"We appeal to our Government that it comes up with a definite ways to either put off the burning blaze or validate the claim that it is not dangerous so that the public worry could be eased immediately, " he added.

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