‘Manipur Flood Plain Zoning Act needs to be strictly implemented’

Floods wreak havoc in state five times this year

By A Staff Reporter

IMPHAL | Oct 24

Heavy rainfall in the state has led to a breach in an embankment of the Imphal river at Uchiwa Wangma near SK Cinema hall last night. At least, a 50 feet wide breach in the embankment occurred at around 8 pm as the water level rose following the rains.

The rain on October 21 night led to a sudden swelling of the rivers and the rainfall was measured at 28 mm at Kangpokpi and Saikhul hill areas.

The state has witnessed a flooding five times this year beginning May last when cyclone Mora hit the north eastern region. As of present, many of areas which have had to bear the worst damages wrought by this cyclonic storm are still recover fully, and now the fresh flood has literally been the proverbial last straw for them. Many of them are in ruins because they have lost their paddy crops or fish farms.

Nambul river too overflowed again this time and inundated households from Uripok Cheirap till Uripok Babu thong.

A resident of Uripok Ningthoukhongjam Leikai, N Haraba said that the local MLA and the concerned department never bother about the plight of the residents of the constituency. “We have been flooded at least five times in this year, we want to know if the government has any plans to mitigate this flood situation and if so, how many years it will take, we want a responsible government,” he said.

The state government in July had announced the floods as a state calamity as a total of 14,000 households were affected in Imphal East, Thoubal, Bishnupur, Kakching and Imphal West.

The state government had initiated relief measures and opened 39 camps for the evicted families and announced compensation for the damages. The state agriculture department had also announced free distribution of a paddy variety called RCM-12 which matures fast and can be harvested in three months.

According to an IFCD official incessant rains even for 18 hours can lead to floods in the state. If rains recorded in the meteorological department and its sensors at the hill areas measure 30 mm, the water discharged cannot be handled by the rivers and flooding occurs in the valley districts.

He stated that detention bridging in the rivers needs to be built to control the flow of water and artificial water bodies need to be created to act as reservoirs. The Ministry of Water Resources has also directed the state government to develop water bodies to control the flood situation.

Further, it was pointed out that the Manipur Flood Plain Zoning Act 1978 is not implemented in the state and this act needs to be reviewed and given more teeth to mitigate floods.

The Bill provides clauses about flood zoning authorities in surveys and delineation of flood plain area, notification of limits of flood plains, prohibition of the use of the flood plains, compensation and most importantly removal of obstructions to ensure free flow of water.