Rail project 'poisons' water sources of Tairenpokpi
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 09 2025: While people are looking forward to the day when Imphal will be connected by rail lines, the railways project has plunged Tairenpokpi village into a deep water crisis.

Tairenpokpi village falls under the Phayeng Gram Panchayat, and is located in Sekmai Assembly Constituency of Imphal West district.

The village is located between Maklang and Phayeng.

N Narendra, a local, said the primary occupation of the villagers is agricultural farming, household piggery and poultry farming.

Located at the foothill, the village had many canals, streams and springs--which were sources of water for the village's consumption and agricultural activities, Narendra said.

Rail project 'poisons' water sources of Tairenpokpi

He said the streams/canals were full of water during the rainy season, and the village had plenty of water then and didn't face any water scarcity.

However, all these changed after 2016 as the railways project to connect Imphal to Jiribam progressed, he said.

The water that was flowing clear before turned murky, contaminated by oil, cement and other construction materials from the railway project sites, he alleged.

The contamination by oil and construction materials affected the streams/canals and crops in the fields, and rendered the water unusable, he said.

As the village also doesn't have access to a water supply scheme, the villagers have been left with no other choice but to buy water, and this has put a strain on their economy, he added.

Households located near community ponds and those who have ponds in their homesteads are buying only the drinking water.

But, the majority of the households located far from community ponds are spending more money on buying water for daily household usage and drinking, Narendra said.

While people are facing man-made water scarcity, the poor road connectivity in the village has further worsened the problems facing them, he said.

The condition of a 3-kilo-metre stretch from Maklang to Tairenpokpi has deteriorated.

Left ignored for long, the road has posed a danger to the locals, especially to ailing persons and pregnant women visiting the hospital, he said.

On the other hand, the inter village road of around 1.5 kilometres connecting the village to Phayeng is also in a pathetic condition, Narendra said.

A broken culvert has caused water to inundate the road.

To go to Phayeng, people are using an alternate route of several kilometres near the foothill, he said.

Several villagers said their village has been ignored by the elected representatives and the Government.

"Before elections, they would come begging for votes time and again.

But when the elections are over, they will never visit," said the villagers.

Tairenpokpi is a very small village, but it has remained one of the most underdeveloped villages.

The village lacks access to clean drinking water and good road connectivity, said a villager.

The railways project is supposed to be a boon, but it has turned into a curse for the Tairenpokpi villagers, said another.

"The railways project is for the benefit of the whole bf the State, and this is why the villagers are enduring," added the villager.

The Government must understand the grievances of the villagers, and take up appropriate measures at the earliest to address the issues facing the village, said the villagers.