Locals struggle as Tureloo River dries up
Source: Chronicle News Service / Ngangom Suraj

Imphal, February 06 2024: "Kangvai gi eshing di thumee," which roughly translates as "the water of Kangvai tastes sweet" was the remark on the water quality of Tureloo River among travellers, especially truckers, some decades ago, as recalled by local elders.

But contrary to the past, the locals faced extreme shortage of water for drinking and irrigation purposes.

Tureloo River originates from Thangjing hill range which is also where the holy site of Ibudhou Thangjing, one of the guardian deities of the four cardinal directions, is located south of Imphal valley.

The river begin its journey from the valley in Kangvai village, located in the periphery of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts, as a small waterfall, before falling into the Loktak River.

Just a couple of decades back, huge SUV sized boulders could be spotted along the river bed, and few metres upstream from the point where it meets the valley existed a site known as "Samu Khongul", imprints resembling the footprints of an elephant.

Presently, finding a boulder in the river bed has even become challenging as all the big boulders, sand and pebbles have been extracted using heavy machinery.

Even the "Samu Khongul" and the small waterfall have vanished.

With its minor minerals almost completely depleted and its river head drying up due to large scale deforestation, especially for poppy cultivation, in addition to consequence of scanty rainfall owing to changing climatic condition, Tureloo River is today on the brink of extinction.

It has become narrower and shallower and hardly retains any water.

More importantly, the locals who used to depend on the river for livelihood are in dire situation as there are no more minor minerals left in the river's bed, implying that conservation measures should be initiated with urgency and sustainable practices encouraged to avert further degeneration.

One Tomba of Phougakchao Ikhai Maning Leikai in Bishnupur district recalled that his parents were among many who worked as miners along the river bed of Tureloo to sustain livelihood and support their education until heavy machineries such as excavators were brought into use to extract the minor minerals few years back.

He remembered people mining pebbles, sand and rocks from the river bed and selling them to retailers.

But when the machineries took over their role as miners, many lost their jobs and opted for other works.

Tomba continued that the region had never experienced shortage of water both for drinking and irrigation purposes but in recent times there has been acute shortage of water.

He opined that in addition to removing rocks, boulders and sand from the river bed, building of unregulated dams in the upstream and clearing of forest in the catchment area or the river head for poppy cultivation could be major factors for drying up of the river.

Pointing out that till few years back, Tureloo river used to retain water even during the winter or dry seasons and had abundant fishes and other aquatic life, Tomba reminisced with a sense of disheartenment that he along with his friends used to enjoy crab hunting along the river banks especially in monsoon season, but at present, the river sustains barely any life form as it retains lesser quantity of water and that too polluted.

He said that as numerous unregulated dams are being constructed in the upstream for private parties to sell drinking water, the flow of water to the valley stretch has been drying up consequently affecting irrigation in several acres of farm lands.

He also expressed concern that as those dealing in water businesses have connection with the higher ups, the locals face threats when they try to convince the parties concerned to share the riverwater.

Tomba opined that large scale afforestation programme with community participation, destruction of poppy cultivations and periodic cleaning of the river will help preserve the river.

He also appealed for timely intervention by authorities concerned to conserve and rejuvenate the river before further deterioration of the river.

It is important to note that every life form requires water for survival.

However, due to carelessness and selfish nature of humans, who only think of profits or benefits, many rivers, wetlands and water bodies have been affected causing harm to many other life forms.

Nonetheless, it is only the humans who can conserve and rejuvenate water bodies for the common good of all.

Therefore, everyone should join hands and share the responsibilities of protecting the rivers and wetlands of the state from getting extinct.

(The report has been filed under the 4th Media Fellowship Programme on Climate Change Reporting under the sponsorship of Directorate of Environment and Climate Change, government of Manipur) .

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