Imphal, June 30 2009: Concerned over the plight of farmers who could not cultivate their land following the prolonged dry spell, leaders of Nongchup Imphal Loumee-Shinmee Chaokhat Thourang Lup today went to inspect the source of the Imphal Main Canal at Leimatak to see whether water may be released or not to ameliorate the difficulty of the farmers.

The leaders also inspected to see whether the five water pump sets installed by the IFC Division IV at Leimatak with the main objective of irrigating the paddy fields at Toubul, Ngaikhong Khunou, Malom, Hiyangthang and other surrounding areas by drawing water from Imphal Main Canal are fucntioning properly or not.

Out of these five water pump sets, two are irrigate the fields on Moirang side while the other three are to feed to the water drawn from Loktak lake to the Imphal Main Canal for irrigating the field in other areas.

However, inspite of acute shortage of water for agricultural purposes, it has been noticed that only one water pump each is being utilised for drawing the water at Imphal Main Canal and Moirang side.

According to an official who was found attending to the operation of the water pumps, adequate water is not being able to supply to irrigate the paddy field as officials of the NHPC has complained against drawing water from the Imphal Canal on the ground that lowering the water level affects generation of electricity.

Although the official claimed that there is no problem of water in the paddy field upto Toubul as one of the pumps is being operated 24 hours, the inspection team witnessed that there no water flow in the canal at Kwaksiphai.

The canal was also found to be clogged and covered with gasses.

An elderly farmer of Khoijuman, informed that though some quantity of water have been received through the canal but it was not sufficient for cultivation.

Talking to mediapersons on the sideline of the inspection, secretary of Nongchup Imphal Loumee-Shinmee Chaokhat Thourang Lup Thoiba Konthoujam asserted that paddy fields could not be irrigated properly as the Government has not made arrangement for ensuring adequate power supply for generating at least two water pumps.

The Govt should do the needful in this regard at the earliest and at the time of distributing the water pump sets, the Govt should also declare the list of the beneficiaries, he added.

Comment