Okshoi grazing ground facing threat from encroachers
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, September 29 2022: Located at a distance of about 3 km to the south of Oinam Keithel in Bishnupur district, Okshoi grazing ground is facing constant threat of encroachment by several fish farmers living in the surrounding area.

Mani, an elderly local man, whose one leg is partially paralysed and who the local people fondly refer to as Mamma Mani used to look after herds of cattle of the village with the help of his wife Sobita.

Faced with abject poverty, the old couple lives on the meagre wages they get from the locals for looking after their cattle.

With many of the cattle farmers failing to pay their wages timely, the old couple often lived on single meal.

Without much choice, the couple used to go from door to door to collect their wages in the evening and sometimes, they reached home at around 10 pm after collecting their wages.

Even as they endured the harsh summer sun and rainy days in looking after the cattle in the vast grazing ground, they often faced angry farmers when some of the cattle enter nearby vegetables and paddy farms.

There were times when they had to pay compensation of Rs 400 to Rs 1000 for the damage done by the cattle in those farms.

During rainy days, they had no choice but to take refuge under bushes growing on the grazing ground.

Apart from grasses, the ground also has plenty of wild vegetables and herbs.

There are also several ditches on the edges of the ground where the couple used to catch fishes to make their living.

Since the old couple retired from the job as they aged, the grazing ground has become an easy target of some greedy fish farmers, who often encroach to expand their farms.

In a bid to protect the ground, the local people came up with an arrangement under which five people each from the village take turn to look after the cattle.

As it lies near Loktak Lake, the grazing ground is now infested with different types of plants, which are of no use to the cattle or the people.

Amid the constant threat from encroachers, local people are hoping for an initiative from the side of the government for protecting and preserving the grazing ground.

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