Source: Hueiyen News Service / Newmai News Network
Imphal, July 11 2009:
Famine looms large over Tamenglong district of Manipur and numerous groups have highlighted about the incoming calamity in the recent past.
Today, drawing the attention of the department of agriculture and all concerned authorities of the government of Manipur through the media to the drought-like conditions prevailing at Nungba area, supply of more water pumps and khariff crops were demanded by Rongdai (Bolongdai) Village Authority, Nungba, Tamenglong district, Manipur.
There is a crying need to have water pumps for pumping of water to the terrace fields which may bring some improvement to the cultivation of paddy, the staple food of the people of the area as well as the state, said chairman of village authority of Rongdai, G.Ningkhampou.
There is also an urgent need to take up cultivation of some cash crops to supplement food production in the area and improve economic condition of the people to get through this lean season and year, he continued.
Farmers have delayed transplantation of paddy in their terraced fields and the jhum fields are also not very successful due to lack of rain in the area, as a result of which there is apprehension that there will not be a good harvest and famine looms large in the near future, the chairman added.