RPF espouses healthy lifestyle to battle COVID-19
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, May 15 2020: In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the proscribed RPF has underscored the importance of keeping oneself clean, eating nutritious food, doing regular exercise, utilisation of local products and conservation of environment.

A statement issued by the outfit's Publicity Secretary Roben Khuman asserted that it is time to build a new National character which have both modern and ancient elements.

The difficult situation created by the COVID-19 pandemic has brought the hill people and plain people together.

COVID-19 has brought a new dawn of a shared future for all the hill people and plain people of Manipur, it claimed.

Lamenting that the present generation seem to have forgotten social discipline, politeness, obedience and dignity which were the hallmarks of Manipuri society, the outfit pointed out that Manipur, though quite small in terms of population and territory, was able to thrive as a glorious Nation because the then Manipuri society had attained a fair level of civilizational growth and Manipuri culture was quite advanced.

However, after the alleged forced merger of Manipuri into the Indian Union on October 15, 1949, Manipuri society degenerated to the present pathetic state.

After the controversial merger, Manipuri people neglected their own culture and tradition, and embraced Indian culture.

This led to the downfall of Manipuri Nation, it said.

People of neighbouring Myanmar respect laws very much and their firm belief in the way of life advocated by Buddhism makes the Myanmar Government's battle against COVID-19 much easier.

"Apart from strictly adhering to the guidelines issued by the World Health Organisation (WHO), our people need to revive the hygienic way of life practised by our forefathers", it asserted.

Since ancient period, Manipuri led a very hygienic way of life.

Even markets were cleaned and moped daily.

Sweeping the entire homestead every morning was an inescapable duty of the male members of every family.

"If we follow our forefather's advice not to cross Konthong (residential gate), we can definitely keep away COVID-19", it said.

Mopping the house and the courtyard was the duty of female members and women must take bath before cooking food.

In earlier period, no one ate food before first taking bath.

Such was the Manipuri people's sense of cleanliness, hygiene and sanitation, the outfit asserted.

"In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is of paramount importance to revive the healthy and hygienic way of life led by our people in the past", it said.

Taking serious note of the extensive consumption of intoxicating substances by both men and women, young and old, the outfit underscored the growing need to kick this habit.

It also lamented the ever vanishing playgrounds and confinement of children indoors which robs them of physical games and sports, and makes them physically weak.

The outfit said that people should use only local products with the exception of those items which are highly essential but no local substitutes are available.

It then advocated extensive cultivation of all types of vegetables on paddy fields which lie uncultivated for most parts of the year after the paddy season is over.

Noting that one main reason for keeping the vast fields uncultivated during dry season is absence of irrigation facilities, the outfit said that small pond can be dug for every pari for irrigation purpose as done in the past.

It's time to produce all our requirements locally as far as possible instead of depending on imports, the outfit asserted.

It then highlighted the need to promote handloom industry on a larger scale.

The protracted lockdown triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic is a perfect opportunity to promote local industries and enterprises in every sector, the outfit remarked.

"It would not be very difficult to tackle and contain COVID-19 if we lead healthy and hygienic life, eat nutritious food and promote local products", the outfit added.

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