Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 30 2009:
The Government should relax the interest of loans for this year for those fishermen who had taken loans in addition to providing water pumps and distributing fish to fish-farmers so that they can recover their losses due to drought, said H Kangjamba, vice chairman of National Association of Fishermen and president of Manipur State unit of the association.
Speaking at a meeting held to address the plight of drought affected fishermen at Hotel Mass, Kangjamba said that the association has submitted memorandums to Prime Minister Manmohon Singh, Union agriculture Minister Sharat Pawar, Union Home Secretary GK Pillai and Director of Fisheries, Manipur highlighting the hardships faced by fish farmers due to the drought this year.
One fish farmer from Toupum said that he had taken loan recently and made all preparation for his fish farm, but due to the scanty rain he was now in a dilemma as to how he would repay the loan with interest.
Another fish farmer from Kakching Khunou said that due to scanty rainfall and insufficient water hundreds of fishes have died in his farm.
There will be a meeting of the National Association of Fishermen in Mumbai on September 11 and 12 where the plight of fish farmers of Manipur will be highlighted at the National level as well as to Sharat Pawar, said Kangjamba.