Farmers' organisations meet CM
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, July 10 2023:
Representatives of five farmers' organisations have met with Chief Minister N Biren Singh for providing adequate security to farmers in sensitive areas.
The five farmers' organisation include Loumi Sinmi Apunba Lup (Lousal), Loyalam Apunba Loumi Lup (LALUP), All Manipur Progressive Farmers' Association (AMPFA), Kangleipak Progressive Farmers' (KPFA) and Irabot Foundation Manipur.
They met the Chief Minister yesterday.
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club today, AMPFA president Thoiba Konthoujam said hectares of agricultural land in various sensitive areas near the foothills of Kakching, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Imphal East and Imphal West district are lying idle without any activities.
Farmers in these areas need adequate security to carry out agricultural activities, he said.
Informing about the meeting the farmers' organisations had with the Chief Minister, he said a monitoring committee with members comprising Deputy Commissioners, Superintendents of Police and top officials of Agriculture, Minor Irrigation and Water Resources Department will be formed to enable agricultural activities in the sensitive areas.
Meanwhile, a State Level Monitoring Committee has been formed under which District Level Monitoring Committees will function, said Education Minister Th Basantakumar.
State police has pulled up 1937 personnel for providing security to farmers.
879personnel will be deployed in Imphal West, 466 personnel in Imphal East, 243 in Bishnupur, 145 in Thoubal and 204 in Kakching, said the Minister.
The farmers' organisations have conducted surveys and identified sensitive areas where security deployment is needed for taking up agricultural activities, he said.
Lousal president Mutum Churamani said besides the Kuki militant problem, the army for security reasons is prohibiting entry of farmers in several areas.
Kha Potshangbam, Thinungei, Naranseina, Phougakchao have seen heightened tension in the past few weeks with Kuki militants firing at farmers on several occasions.
One farmer was also hurt in the firing by the Kuki militants recently, he said.
For the farmers to carry out agricultural activities, the Central security forces must clear the bunkers built by Kuki militants in the vicinity of the areas and create buffer zones, he said.
He also informed that the meeting yesterday with the Chief minister also agreed to create a nodal officer and open a helpline number where farmers can reach the authorities concerned of the Government.