Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, March 09:
Tipaimukh and the surrounding areas are facing acute shortage of rice due to the alleged failure of lifting of rice from the FCS godown at Imphal.
Taking serious note of the situation, the Hmar Students' Association (HSA) has urged the authority concerned to redress the woes of the people at the earliest by ensuring food grains at subsidised Government rates.
After FCS authorities stopped dispatching rice about two months back, the villagers of Tipaimukh, Lungthulien, Thanlon, Dandei and Panrachou have been facing scarcity of rice, said HSA vice-president Joseph Hmar.
Even the price of the rice pegged at the lower end of the quality scale has been increased to Rs 15 per kg in these areas.
Though the Army distributed rice at nominal price on rare occasions, the villagers are enduring severe hardships.
Following the suspension of supply of food grains to these areas by FCS authorities, the villagers have been forced to buy rice at exorbitant price from neighbouring Mizoram or Silchar.
In addition to the failure of FCS authorities to distribute rice, another major factor responsible for the scarcity of rice is the inability of the villagers to engage in jhoom cultivation on account of the chaotic situation in the area last year and the mass exodus to Mizoram, Joseph noted.
HSA has already submitted memoranda to the State authorities as well as the Centre demanding free flow of rice to these interior areas to avoid any scarcity of food grains.
However, there has been no positive response till date leading to miseries of the villagers, Joseph claimed.
Even as the Deputy Commissioner, Churachandpur district could not be contacted as he is on leave, the District Supply Officer confirmed the report of non-distribution of rice to the district since the last two months.
Nevertheless, the DSO added that rice was supplied in the district a few months back through the local MLAs.