By A Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, July 13: Since the past couple of years several households in Ukhrul town are facing acute water shortage. Sadly, the sole water source located at Shiroi hill in Ukhrul is in critical state agreed many leaders of several civil organizations and NGOs based in Ukhrul at a one day district level consultative workshop for Manipur state action plan on climate change.
The workshop was organized by O.P.F Ukhrul in collaboration with All Manipur NGO forum under the sponsorship of state nodal department for climate change action plan. Its objective was to bring a collective understanding and grass root participation of local inhabitants in relation to climate-change issues prevailing in the state for drafting a state action plan.
Many leaders during the consultative workshop opined that a need for long term policy on water conservation and preservation need to be addressed in due course of time. Citing the imposition of tax on timbers by the concerned authorities on locals, one elder opined that such imposition of taxes to locals is unwarranted as the concerned department of the government failed to provide even a sapling to them as a step to protect and conserve forests till date.
Many leaders during the workshop highlighted several major environmental issues. One of the leaders decried the Mapithel dam, which will be functional in a short time, claiming that it will submerge a huge area of cultivable lands under water compromising the live of many poor villagers. Out of ten villages inhabiting in the dam site, 6 villages will be totally displaced owing to rising water level. The water stored in the dam will be supplied for domestic consumption to meet the demands of local populace of Imphal valley reducing any significance for them, he said. Several elders during the workshop expressed that a food park needs to be set up in Ukhrul.
The one day consultative workshop was held at conference hall of Tangkhul Theological Association located in Hanleikhong,.
Dr. Brajakumar Singh, research officer, state nodal department, government of Manipur Environemnt and ecology wing and Kh. Chinglen, assist. general secretary All Manipur NGO Forum attended the function as the resource persons. The workshop was attended by leaders of many NGOs and civil organizations of Ukhrul.
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