PFA in soup over U-turn on Thoubal River status
Source: Chronicle News Service

Thoubal, April 02 2023: Day after a member of People for Animal (PFA) Manipur issued a clarification statement in the presence of Thoubal district police, stating that the water quality of Ihoubal River Has improved significantly; Thoubal Apunba Lup (TAL) and Khekmai Meira Paibi Lup demanded PFA to clarify its remark on clean water of the river.

Interacting with the media during an assessment visit of Thoubal River on Sunday, Khekman Meira Paibi leaders strongly condemned PFA for claiming that water quality of Thoubal River has improved significantly.

They demanded PFA to clarify its statement to the people living along the river.

The Meira Paibi leaders said that turbid water is flowing in the river for several years and people have been raising the issue to the government while demanding for a solution.

Unfortunately, the water quality is same like before and people are still not able to use clean water like in the past.

Questioning the rationale for PFA's statement, they demanded an explanation.

They also drew attention of the chief minister to resolve the situation.

Meanwhile, TAL members also made an assessment underneath the bridge in Thoubal Keithel.

TAL president Rameswor Waikha said that the statement of PFA is baseless and it is an act of lying on the face of around 3 lakh people living along the river.

He said that some group of individuals has been controlling the river.

Though one may see less turbid water occasionally, the river water is turbid most of the time.

It was unfortunate for the PFA member, who was flanked by two police personnel on both sides, to make such baseless claim while the turbid water of the river is seen in the back clearly.

He also drew attention of the government for taking up necessary measures to resolve the issue.

Mention may be made that PFA Manipur, on its Facebook Page on Thursday, shared a post showing two pictures of Thoubal River, which show the turbid water of the river and an excavator mining sand from the riverbed.

PFA tagged Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the post and wrote, "Thoubal River of Thoubal district, Manipur is running turbid water since illegal sand mining started in 2017.It adversely affects the ecosystem of the river.

Lakhs of people depend upon its water for drinking and irrigation.

Kindly intervene in the matter".

Chief Minister N Biren swiftly responded to the post with a photo taken near Yairipok Malom at 5.30 pm on Thursday stating that water is almost clean.

He stated that river water cannot be clean in some part and is turbid in some, while questioning the source of the photo shared by PFA.

The CM even expressed suspicion of PFA indulging in politics and propaganda.

Consequent to the response of the CM, PFA shared the video post, which is being objected by TAL and Khekman Meira Paibi Lup, on Saturday.

In the post, PFA wrote, "PFA and Thoubal district police inspected Thoubal River regarding its turbidity due to illegal sand mining.

Remarkable development is seen in the quality of the water.

The photo of mining posted in the previous post was a file photo.

PFA apologises for any inconveniences caused by the said post.

PFA urged district police of Thoubal and Imphal East to continue their dedication for the conservation of the river".

The PFA member was also seen flanked by a police officer and a person in plain cloth in the video.

The post drew flaks from different users, who shared time tagged photos of turbid water of Thoubal River at different locations including Irong Chesaba and Khekman.

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