Govt's failure on irrigation draws flak
Source: Hueiyen News Service / Nomita khongbantabam

Imphal, June 24 2015 : Manipur Loumi Lup has expressed dismay on Wednesday over the 'failure' of the State Government to take steps to ensure irrigation facility at this time of inadequate monsoon rainfall.

The organization demanded a CBI enquiry into the yet to be completed Khuga Dam inaugurated by AICC chief Sonia Gandhi back in 2010 and completion of the dam at the earliest.

It also demanded immediate repairing of all diesel and electric pumps used at all RI Schemes and supplying of diesel free of cost and ensuring irrigation supply to all paddy fields on war footing.

The Lup further demanded the Agriculture Department to ensure availability of paddy seeds and fertilizer.

Crop insurance to save the life of farmers should be introduced by the State Government, it demanded.

A meeting of Manipur Loumi Lup was held at Irawat Bhavan.

Lup president N Mangi, vice president N Singhajit, secretary H Ibobi, working president S Nilakamal and former president of the organization Th Bijoy were the presidium members of the meet.

Mangi said 80 percent of the State's population depends entirely on rainfed agriculture, but irrigation remains a distant dream for these farmers till date.

He said Manipur recorded 340.49 ML of rainfall as of Wednesday, but the annual average rainfall is normally registered more than 1000 ML in the State.

The current month of June received only 18.1 ML of rain against the normal rate of 280.20 ML, Mangi added.

He said there are Sekmai Barrage, Khuga Dam, Loktak Live Irrigation Programme, Singda Multipurpose Project and Keithelmanbi Bridge which have not been able to give any benefit to farmers so far.

Mangi said Khuga Multipurpose Project was constructed at the cost of Rs 400 crore with an aim to provide irrigation facility to 15,000 hectres of farmland.

Several memorandums have been submitted to the Central Government for completion of the mega dam, but it has not been heeding to the demand so far, Mangi said and appealed to the Manipur Government to take proper steps to ensure irrigation supply to the farmers at an earliest.

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