Water crisis hits hard Nongman village
Source: Chronicle News Service / R Lester Makang

Ukhrul, April 27 2025: At 72, Ismael Sareo, who has been the headman of Nongman village since the 1960s, stands as a living testament to the drastic changes that have adversely affected his village community over the decades.

Situated about 22 km east of Phungyar sub-divisional headquarters in Kamjong district, this traditional village is grappling with a painful water crisis - believed to be a consequence of unrestrained human activities that have devastated the rich biodiversity of the surrounding forests.

Ismael recalled a time when the village enjoyed an abundance of spring water, particularly from the Ako' stream, the village s main water source, cascading down from hilltop springs.

"The depletion of this water source was first noticed around the 2010s," he shared with The People's Chronicle, sadness evident in his voice.

Before long, the once-reliable stream in the 'Thariko' forest has dwindled, leaving local villagers in a precarious situation, especially during the dry season when alternative water sources are scarce.

Ismael suspected that unregulated human activities, such as stone extraction for construction and tree felling, have led to increased landslides and detrimental effects on the watershed.

He added that traditional jhum cultivation might also have contributed to the situation, but the villagers are helpless due to a lack of alternatives at present.

The village chief noted that the main water source of the village was the first casualty of the forest devastation.

"My village has 66 households with around 517 residents who are now struggling to manage water for daily household consumption," he explained, citing the drying springs in the village over the past decade.

Shiyamphy Ramshang, 42, a housewife, told TPC that her household currently survives on just a few pots of water a day, far below the daily requirement.

She mentioned that water sourced from the Thariko spring is typically stored in the village tank, but due to shortages during this dry season, it is supplied only once daily, allowing her family to manage only four to five pots.

"Since this is not sufficient, we.

also seek water from Kazora, another traditional spring, which is about a 15 to 20-minute walk from home," she explained.

She, however, added: "As Kazora dries up and demand for water increases, we can only fetch two to three pots despite the long trek".

Like many others in the village, Shiyamphy's household faces additional burdens amid dwindling water sources.

"My family is currently tending fields for the new agricultural season, and we need to wash ourselves when we return from the fields.

Managing water has become incredibly hard due to the shortage," she lamented, urging authorities Concerned to look into their plights as soon as possible.

Shiyamphy also shared how local women venture out to Kazora around 3 am to gather a few pots of water,' describing the task as 'daunting'.

Echoing these sentiments, 17-year-old R Eyrose noted that water scarcity has placed immense burden on local women, as the water supplied from the tank for households, including her own, is insufficient for essentialchores such as washing and cleaning.

"The hardest period is during the dry season, especially from March to April/May, before the monsoon sets in," she added.

According to Ismael, the gradual decline of the Ako stream prompted villagers to seek solutions to restore its vitality, but their efforts have been in vain.

"We have been looking for ways to revive the spring, but it's a huge challenge," he reflected oh a struggle that has consumed the villagers for the past decade.

He further explained that apart from the water crisis, the village's ecology has suffered significantly, after the lush vegetation in Thariko forest, located about 6 km from the village, dwindled over the years.

"We used to have thick forests filled with towering trees like Mafathing (U-ningthou).

The forest was once a cool place with abundant trees and thus a felicitous habitat for wildlife," Ismael recalled.

"Now, the wildlife that once roamed freely, such as deer and wild boar, have become increasingly rare.

Even their footprints have almost vanished," he lamented, sharing his recent experience in the forest.

As for the depletion of Kazora, the village's second water source, situated beneath the village habitation, Ismael attributed it to rising temperatures in the face of diminishing vegetation in the surrounding areas.

In a bid to reverse the deteriorating situation, the village authority initiated a conservation project in 2022 in the Thariko forest, aiming to reclaim one hectare of land and restore its ecological integrity.

"We approached the Kamjong Forest Department for assistance, and in 2024, they provided us with 3,500 saplings of various species, including Banyan and cherry", Ismael explained.

The saplings were planted in August last year, marking a hopeful turn in the village's conservation narrative.

However, Ismael admitted that the survival rate of the newly planted trees has been disappointing.

"Some of the saplings didn't survive, likely due to a lack of water.

We've learned that planting is more effective during the rainy season," he noted, reflecting on the challenges of reforestation amid changing climate conditions.

Despite these setbacks, Ismael remains optimistic about the long-term impacts of the conservation initiative.

"As of now, we haven't seen significant changes, but we believe that with our efforts, the water source can become more secure against human activities," he asserted.

He also expressed hope that the restoration of the Thariko forest will eventually benefit villagers, restoring the water source as well as the wildlife that once thrived in the forest.

Anthropogenic activities such as deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices, amid the shifting climatic patterns, are largely blamed for the increasing water shortages and biodiversity loss, although definitive scientific proof may not yet be available.

The challenges facing Nongman village are not an isolated case; rather, they illustrate a broader environmental crisis affecting many rural communities across the state.

Villages like Nongman serve as microcosms of these larger trends, highlighting the urgent need for sustainable practices and community-led conservation efforts, with appropriate support from government authorities.

(This article is published under the joint initiative of the Media Resource Centre (MRC), Directorate of Environment & Climate Change (DE&CC), and Ukhrul District Working Journalists' Association (UDWJA)) .

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