Environment – Manipur News

Manipur: Aribam Syam Sharma’s film ‘Ishanou’ recognized as world classic, to premiere at Cannes Film Festival

Imphal: The restored version of the 1990 Manipuri film ‘Ishanou’, directed by renowned filmmaker Aribam Syam Sharma, is set to premiere at the Cannes Film Festival to be held from May 16-27. The film, which stars Anoubam Kiranmala and Kang…

The post Manipur: Aribam Syam Sharma’s film ‘Ishanou’ recognized as world classic, to premiere at Cannes Film Festival appeared first on NORTHEAST NOW.

Understanding The Metrics of Heat Waves in South Asia

The prolonged exposure to high temperatures and wet bulb conditions can lead to high risks of heat stroke and a range of physiological impacts. 90 deaths were reported in 2022 due to extreme heat stress. By Salam Rajesh Climate change has made devastating heat wave impact early in India and Pakistan this year, with […]

The post Understanding The Metrics of Heat Waves in South Asia first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

By Salam Rajesh

Climate change has made devastating heat wave impact early in India and Pakistan this year, with Pakistan experiencing 30 times more intensity than India, says Dr Friederike Otto of the World Weather Attribution, adding that climate change is likely to increase extreme monsoon rainfall, flooding highly vulnerable communities in Pakistan.

Dr Otto (Senior Lecturer, Grantham Institute for Climate Change and Environment & Co-Founder, World Weather Attribution) was speaking on the topic ‘Understanding Attribution Science: Human induced Climate Change and Heatwaves’ as part of the proceeding of a National Workshop on Heatwaves, Climate Change and its Impacts on Health, Economy and Energy Policies in India at Bengaluru on the 27th of last month, courtesy of Bangalore-based climate strategist group Climate Trends.

Dr Otto’s observation reflects closely to the World Meteorological Organization (WMO)’s warning of a likely spike in temperatures globally this summer, as prelude to the projected El Nino event this year. The year 2015-2016 was recorded as the hottest year in recent history, and this was primarily driven by an El Nino event according to reports. 1500 deaths were reported in the coastal plains of Odisha during 2015 from the intense heat wave that year.

In March, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) had predicted normal monsoon this year but forewarned that an El Nino event can affect the monsoon. Forecasting a 75 percent chance of El Nino in India, the IMD said it could weaken the southwest monsoon and may lead to severe heat waves and droughts in the country – a forewarning that could wreak havoc with the agricultural system in the country, and with a possible backlash on the rural economy.

The forecast for the year has disturbing news for the country wherein compound events of heat waves, cyclones and floods can overlap one another and can cause extensive damages to crops and properties, asserts scientist Dr Roxy Mathew Koll of the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology, Pune. Dr Koll was speaking on the subject ‘The dominance of Climate Change on global circulations and its impact on heatwaves and marine heatwaves’.

Bangalore-based climate strategist group Climate Trends stated that “By February-April 2023, most models indicate the return of ENSO-neutral, with a probability of 82%. What is more concerning is the arrival of the dreaded phenomena of El Nino. Climate models are predicting potential return to El Niño by May-July, which coincides with summer monsoon that spans from June to September”.

“During a La Niña, the tropical Pacific soaks up heat like a sponge and builds up the warm water volume. This is the warm water that spills across from the western Pacific to the eastern Pacific during an El Niño. Three consecutive years of La Niña means that the warm water volume is fully loaded and it is likely that the system is ready to give birth to an El Niño. Will it be a strong El Niño like the one during 2015-16? We may get some indications in spring itself,” explains Dr Raghu Murtugudde, Visiting Professor, Earth System Scientist at IITB (Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay) and Emeritus Professor at University of Maryland.

“As for the monsoon itself, if an El Niño state does emerge by summer, then we are more than likely to see a deficit monsoon. A transition from a La Niña winter (which we are in now) to a summer El Niño state tends to produce the largest deficit in the monsoon – of the order of 15%. This implies that the pre-monsoon and monsoon circulations tend to be weaker”. Dr Raghu was speaking on the thematic topic ‘Understanding the variation in weather patterns and the need for early warning systems’.

Kunal Satyarthi (Joint Secretary, National Disaster Management Agency) speaking on the topic ‘The hurdles in building adaptive capacity: A status check on planning and implementation of heat action plans’, stressed on the triple risks of climate hazard, vulnerability and exposure that can cause extensive damage and loss across the different sectors, with the marginalized sections of society more likely to be impacted by the risks involved.

Dr Luke Parsons (Postdoctoral Associate, Duke University) speaking on the subjective matter, ‘Rising wet-bulb temperatures and labour impact’, stressed that as per the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) model, the International Organization for Standardization (ISO 7243) emphasizes that during temperatures reaching above 26 degree Celsius workers are advised to take half hour rest from their heavy work duty.

In case of temperatures reaching above 32-33 degree Celsius the ISO recommends all heavy works should stop. The WBGT model is used in military, occupational health, and athletic events, Dr Luke explains while stating that the model includes temperature, humidity, wind speed, and sun exposure.

The average highest Wet Bulb Globe Temperature for South Asia during 2002 to 2021 was experienced in the north-western parts and the northern plains of India, Pakistan and in Bangladesh, observed Dr Luke, with temperatures reaching 34 degree Celsius and above.

Calculating on the WBGT model, an estimation of the productivity loss across the world reveals a massive global total loss of around 220 billion hours per year, says Dr Luke. Calculating the estimate total labour hours lost per year for different countries, India loses 101 hours per year – almost equivalent to the loss of around 23 million jobs.

Following India is China with 21 hours, Bangladesh with 14, Pakistan with 13, Indonesia with 10, Sudan and Viet Nam with 7, Nigeria and Thailand with 6, and Philippines with 5 hours of labour lost per year respectively.

On this footnote, Climate Trends noted that, “While 2022 set a record with 200 heatwave days in India with some of the hottest months since 1901 and impacting nearly 70% of the country, spring went missing in 2023 as well. February this year was declared the hottest in the last 123 years, the first ever since 1901. March saw heatwave in isolated pockets but April began on a hotter note, with mercury rising every day. State-run India Meteorological Department (IMD) already predicted an increased probability of heatwaves during April and May”.

This comes with a fair indication that unless Heat Action Plans for every States are formulated well in time, things may go from bad to worse. “In a country like India, which is densely populated, the extreme heat hits the poor the hardest who are working as urban or rural labour without access to cooling. The prolonged exposure to high temperatures and wet bulb conditions can lead to high risks of heat stroke and a range of physiological impacts. 90 deaths were reported in 2022 due to extreme heat stress”, forewarns Climate Trends experts.

(The writer looks at environmental stories through the journalistic lens. He can be reached at salamrajesh@rediffmail.com)

The post Understanding The Metrics of Heat Waves in South Asia first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Loktak Lake: Ministry asks LDA to submit revised plan addressing all issues

So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19. No proposal was received from the State from FY 2019-20 to 2022-23. TFM Report An amount of Rs 16.86 crore had been released […]

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TFM Report

An amount of Rs 16.86 crore had been released by the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19. Further, the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) prepared by LDA has been examined by IIT Roorkee and certain suggestions have been given. The Ministry has asked the LDA to submit a revised plan addressing all issues related to conservation of Loktak Lake for endorsement of the Ministry for its implementation.

According to a reliable source, Bhupender Yadav, the Union Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change while talking about three major issues on Loktak Lake Ecosystem and suggested measures for delisting from Montreux Record is reported to have stated that the Loktak Lake is an integral part of the culture and ecology of Manipur. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has been very clear that India is land where nature is worshipped and therefore our scared natural resources will be protected and preserved at all costs. So, the government remains committed to developing Loktak Lake as one of the most enchanting and magnificent lakes of the world with community engagement and collective efforts.

According to sources, he said that the the Loktak Lake was included in the Montreux Record in 1993 as a result of ecological problems such as deforestation in catchment area, siltation, infestation of water hyacinth and paragrass and pollution.

The three major issues resulting in listing of Loktak Lake in Montreux Records are:

Changes in water regimes which have triggered phumdi proliferation, water quality deterioration, loss of migratory fish and degradation of KLNP habitat
Pollution from upstream areas which led to water quality degradation and accelerated phumdi proliferation
Conversion of natural phumdi into fish farms which reduced the capacity of Loktak to moderate and buffer water regimes

The Government of Manipur has been advised to submit an action plan to mitigate these issues along with a timeline for removal of Loktak Lake from the Montreux Records. The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) of Loktak Lake is to be updated on priority basis by compiler / Loktak Development Authority (LDA), for which they have been duly advised by the Ministry.

On what are the measures taken up to control eutrophication and control of discharge of waste water from urban into the Loktak Lake, the minister said that his department has been providing financial assistance for this wetland since 1988-89 to the Government of Manipur for undertaking conservation activities like survey & demarcation, catchment area treatment, fisheries development, removal of phumdis, constructing water harvesting structures, small scale engineering works, creation of education and awareness etc.

The Loktak Development Authority, Department of Forests, Govt. of Manipur is the implementing agency. So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19. Further, the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) prepared by LDA has been examined by IIT Roorkee and certain suggestions have been given. The Ministry has asked the LDA to submit a revised plan addressing all issues related to conservation of Loktak Lake for endorsement of the Ministry for its implementation.

On measures for upliftment of livelihood or alternative livelihoods of the wetland people, Bhupender Yadav informed that as per the information provided by Government of Manipur, LDA has been taking up certain livelihood development activities for local communities who are dependent on Loktak Lake. The government, giving shape to Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji’s vision of conserving our Amrit Dharohar, also intends to enhance livelihood opportunities of the local communities through developing eco-tourism infrastructure in and around the lake and need-based capacity building of local communities.

The integrated Management Plan prepared by the LDA envisages activities on ‘Sustainable Resource Development and Livelihoods’ that includes:

Community Managed Fisheries Strategy for Loktak aligned with FAO code of conduct of Responsible Fisheries
Enhancement of fish seed production
Development of harvest, post-harvest and marketing infrastructure
Community livelihoods (micro enterprises) programme
Development of Wetland linked Cultural heritage sites to promote tourism for diversification and value addition of existing fisheries based livelihoods
Eco guide training for local communities

When asked if there is any judicious water allocation policy for biodiversity service, for fishers, for agriculture, for hydropower etc at Loktak, the minister informed that MoEF&CC has already taken up the issue of Ithai Barrage operation with the Ministry of Power and NHPC. After due deliberation, NHPC has agreed to lower the water level of Ithai barrage gradually to the drawdown level in the forthcoming winter season starting from November 2023 to rejuvenate KLNP habitat as per the technical report of 2011. With lowering of water levels in winters, the park habitat will improve along with improved circulation and flushing in the wetland.

On the timeframe for any steps taken to protect Loktak from inflow of waste (brought down by river/streams flowing) into Loktak, Bhupender Yadav said that as informed by the State Government of Manipur, commissioning of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and implementation of activities as envisaged in the Integrated Management Plan will substantially reduce loading of pollutants into the lake. The State Government has also commissioned the construction of STPs at Nambul with the financial assistance of Rs 100 crore provided under the NRCP scheme by NRCD for the effective functioning of existing waste management infrastructure. It will be commissioned by June 2023 to capture and treat waste from Imphal City and Nambul River and take care of the discharge of untreated sewage into Loktak.

On the long term plan to protect the lake from encroachment (when govt removing private farms along Mayang Imphal-Toubul road & lake), the minister Bhupender Yadav said that MoEF&CC has suggested the Government of Manipur to immediately submit an action plan along with a timeline and a map with clear demarcation of the wetland boundary following guidelines provided by MoEF&CC and as per provisions laid by the Ramsar Secretariat for removal of Loktak Lake from Montreux Record. The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) of Loktak is to be updated on priority basis by the LDA.

He also said that Loktak Lake in Manipur was designated as Ramsar site on 23.03.1990 under Ramsar Convention and being a Ramsar site, the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 are applicable to the lake. A brief document of the lake has already been prepared. RIS itself is a kind of brief document.

On what is the responsibility of National Hydroelectric Power Corporation Limited (NHPC) towards Rehabilitation and Resettlement of displaced communities affected by the Loktak hydroelectric power project since 1983?

Bhupender Yadav said that Loktak Hydroelectric Project was implemented before the EIA notification 1994 and 2006. Therefore, Environment Clearance of the Project was not applicable for the construction of the project. Works on the project commenced in 1971. The project was commissioned in year 1983.

NHPC has informed that for construction of Loktak project 217.09 ha of private land altogether had been purchased from landowners of 11 villages at different sites of the project. Full compensation was paid to land owners before land possession. Hence, Rehabilitation and Resettlement was not applicable at that time.

The Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change has been providing financial assistance for this wetland since 1988-89 to the Government of Manipur for undertaking conservation activities like survey & demarcation, catchment area treatment, fisheries development, removal of Phumdis, constructing water harvesting structures, small scale engineering works, creation of education & awareness etc. Loktak Development Authority, Department of Forests, Govt. of Manipur is the implementing agency. So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by this Ministry to the Government of Manipur which includes an amount of Rs 428 lakh released during the year 2018-19. No proposal was received from the State from FY 2019-20 to 2022-23.

However, an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) of Loktak Lake was received in the Ministry for endorsement. The plan envisages to put in place Manipur River Basin scale actions, such as conserving catchment to control silt, abating pollution generated from upstream cities, demarcating wetland boundaries, managing water regimes and supporting livelihoods diversification of wetland dependent communities. IMP includes core and non-core activities in the lake area and its zone of influence (catchment, command areas, etc.). The IMP was appraised through IIT-Roorkee and observations given by IIT-R had been sent to the Govt. Of Manipur for revision of the IMP. The revised proposal is yet to be received by the Ministry. The MoEF&CC will consider the proposal on priority as per the cost sharing formula between the Central and State Government and the funding norms of NPCA.

On plans to accommodate the fishing community in lake management plan, the minister said the State Government of Manipur has informed that community Managed Fisheries Strategy for Loktak aligned with FAO code of conduct of Responsible Fisheries will be formulated involving local fishing communities.

Fishing in Loktak Lake has been carried out since time immemorial. The fishermen are an integral part of the Loktak ecosystem. The state government is working to promote healthy capture fisheries, which ensures that ecosystem processes such as migration pathways, water quality and phumdi distribution are not adversely affected.

Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change had earlier stated that any effort towards the effective management of Loktek Lake, which is a designated Ramsar site, shall be in line with the norms of Ramsar Convention as well as Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017.

Minister of State for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Ashini Kumar Choubey said this while answering questions related to Loktak Lake raised by Janata Dal (United) Member of Parliament Anil Hegde on the floor of Rajya Sabha on April 6.

On that day, he also said that as per the information provided by Government of Manipur, approval from Department of Expenditure, Ministry of Finance for the proposed ‘Sustainable Loktak Lake Ecosystem Restoration, Eco Tourism and Livelihood Improvement’ project has not been received so far.

The post Loktak Lake: Ministry asks LDA to submit revised plan addressing all issues first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.

Black scented rice (chahaomubi) – the black gold of Manipur

Prof Ningthoujam Ram Singh The word Chahaomubi is a combination of three Manipuri words of cha-hao-mubi meaning rice-tasty and black. It is a blackwhole rice plant bearing dark grains. Chahaomubi is also known as Poireiton Chakhao because it was first domesticated by king Poireiton in his land of Poi. Poi is the first generation of […]

A Cleaner environment for a cleaner and healthier society

A Cleaner environment for a cleaner and healthier society With the decaying of our socio-political and economic conditions, which have become a hindrance to the path of collective progress,

A Cleaner environment for a cleaner and healthier society

With the decaying of our socio-political and economic conditions, which have become a hindrance to the path of collective progress, the perilous state of existence has to be transformed by interventions from many fronts. Social voluntary organisations including the leikai club has larger responsibility at the grassroots level in order to bring about the said transformation. Though one cannot deny the larger responsibility of the state institutions and the like, but the initial voice and action could be germinated from the local level organisations, clubs, including the women organisation. One important area to start with could be the concern for our environment which is at a pathetic state. Our society has become so engrossed in self-gratification of our individual selves. One crude example is how we manage our garbage. It was not of an issue when the population was small. That we could manage the garbage disposal in our own residential compound, which we called as lukhak kom, but now the situation, has changed with the growing urbanization and growing population density. It has become impossible to manage our own private garbage disposal system. Our self-serving individualistic attitude has compounded the problem. We love to keep our immediate vicinity clean and hygienic but at the same time we disposed it at the public space caring little for the collective cleanliness. The state sponsored ‘Zero Garbage Campaign’ has lost into oblivion after much fanfare by the vested interest groups. Whatever may be the reason behind it, one cannot keep aside the problem with the mounting and neglected garbage in our public spaces.

DTKF would start with a simple garbage disposal awareness campaign with the larger perspective of a healthier environment. The coming of Cheiraoba is one marked event wherein we can start the awareness with the general public. Every year a large number of people throngs the Cheiraoching. People come to pray, to climb the hill, to mark the beginning of the local New Year. But it is sad that people come with little awareness of their environment and the social responsibility they should have as responsible citizens. They leave behind a huge pile of garbage by littering on the hill tops. We must not forget that all this wastes product take a long time to decay in the soil. More particularly the plastic waste products for this would all flow into our drainage during the rainy seasons. It would choke the free flow of water. Not only would it also flow into the rivers, ultimately it would flow into other water bodies. Our precious Loktak Lake receives a huge amount of garbage every year.

DTKF wishes to start with a small intervention in this regard. With the coming of the Cheiraoba, the foundation with other likeminded friends and organisations will start awareness campaign. The campaign will take up the following steps:

1. Discourage the use of plastic water bottles, request the shops and retailers near the foot hill not to sell package water bottle. Climbers will be requested to bring their own water bottles.

2. Teach the general people the habit of throwing wastes into proper disposal systems like the dustbins.

3. This is also true that without the dustbins it is simply not possible to translate the work into action. We will make an effort to arrange dustbins in selected areas.

4. Educate the people of the gravity of the garbage menace through slogans and paper handouts.

5. Collaborate with other clubs and organisation for the said task.

6. Our volunteers will hand out basic instructions of garbage disposal on paper handouts right at the foot of the hill on the Cheiraoba day.

7. Welcome suggestion and participation from one and all to make it more practical and meaningful.

8. While creating awareness, cordial approach is the only way to win the heart and mind of many to actively participate for the good cause.

Your Sincerely
Brojen Sinam
President – DTKF and TUC

Sending on Behalf
Thanks
Team Gomanipur

Apocalypse Imagined

The magnitude of a possible disaster as indicated by the periodic flood situation every monsoon can only be described as terrifying. Tuesday night’s unusually heavy torrents literally flooded half of Imphal, though thankfully the cloudburst did not last too long and the logged water had time to flow away considerably by morning, although not completely.

This is yet another caution as to how vulnerable the Imphal valley is. Just imagine what would have happened if the rains did not stop for another one week, a scenario not altogether impossible, in fact one which should be expected in the near future if the prediction of global warming and climate change by scientists is anything to go by. The floods caused would then be much more extensive. But more than this, in the event of a much larger volume of flood water inundating the valley, the second scenario is even more alarming.

Up to a certain level, the Loktak lake and other still existing natural wetlands can act as the reservoir and absorb flood waters. That is to say, only so long as the flood water volume is within this limit, flood waters would recede soon as the rains stop, and inundated farmlands and residences would be spared total destruction. But just suppose the flood water volume exceeds this limit in any given years. Since there is very little outflow of water away from the valley, the excess waters would have little or no place to drain away into, and farmlands and homesteads would remain inundated until the water evaporates. A glimpse of such a scenario is already available in the current floods. Long after the rains have ceased, many low lying areas as still flooded as the rivers that brought the waters are unable to reabsorb them. If the freak rains persist every year, then even before the previous years flood waters have receded, more would be incrementally added, ultimately water would reclaim much of the low lying areas, in much the same way it probably was in prehistoric and proto-historic times, memories of which are preserved in some of the folklores and legends of the place.

Even as much of the low lying coastal regions of the world, including Bangladesh, Netherlands, Florida etc, are swallowed up by the sea in the event of global warming leading to the melting of the polar ice caps, much of the Imphal valley too then would be an extended lake from permanent flood waters.
The moot point is, what possible remedies can there be? The first thing that most believers in a supernatural order would do is to pray that the unprecedented downpour this year was a freak occurrence and not a portent of things to come. But still, it would be prudent to prepare for the worst, even if one were to continue hoping for the best. The second, but a rather long term strategy would be to join the global effort to arrest climate change. This would entail first and foremost, trying to understand what this is all about. The last proposition that we would like to suggest has to do with the question of preparing for the worst case scenario.

The Imphal valley is at an altitude of over 2000 feet above mean sea level, which means that given the outlet, gravity would ensure that water drains out of the place. This fact itself should be capitalised into devising a way to ensure security of the valley from a future water disaster in the event of climate change. Apart from the river that flow out of the Loktak lake to ultimately join the river system in Myanmar and ultimately the sea, artificial tunnels of the Loktak Hydro Electric Plant use the same principle of gravity to divert water away from the lake to turn generation turbines and ultimately join the Barak River and the sea. Such artificial outlets could be made to have a double purpose – hydro electric generation as well as emergency water drainage. Just as for instance, the elaborate labyrinths of subway train tunnels deep down into the earth in many American and European cities, were also designed during the Cold War to couple up nuclear shelters in the eventuality of a nuclear holocaust which had become a real threat then. The nuclear holocaust did not happen, but the subway systems are not a waste because they are also fundamentally an important city transport infrastructure. Likewise, climate change and a subsequent water disaster may or may not be Imphal valley’s future, but the hydroelectric tunnels would still be performing their fundamental purpose of producing electricity.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/7zSWRnh62u4/

Oxydome by Naosekpam Ajit

18th March 2080, a day of joy-my 80th birthday. I woke up refreshed from a good night’s sleep, had a shave and warmed up my Oxydome at 24?C. The night… Read more »

18^th March 2080, a day of joy-my 80^th birthday. I woke up refreshed from a good night’s sleep, had a shave and warmed up my Oxydome at 24?C.

The night temperature had dropped to 6?C even inside the dome, ‘it must be freezing outside’- I thought. Even as the dome was warming up- my mind wandered back to my childhood days- the trees and the green fields –the soft breeze that entered me and nourished my soul, the warmth of the morning sun caressing my young cheeks.

Those were the days when we played in the open fields and enjoyed nature’s free air and sunshine.

Then as I grew up, the world population boomed, forest have to downed to make room for human habitations, emissions spiraled out of control, global temperatures rose alarmingly, tidal waves and wind currents ran amok.

The atmosphere became hostile to the invasive human race. Polar ice caps are now a thing of the past. Daytime temperatures reached a maximum of 70?C and night time temperatures dropped to -30?C at the place where I used to play with the trees. Some migrated to planet EOX₂.

For fifteen years we have been living in small cubical domes supplied with oxygen known as Oxydomes. Large transparent tubes connect these domes which serve as passage apart from the essential oxygen supply.

“Oh, what man have become” I thought –‘trapped in his own design’.

I braced myself up, today is my birthday not a time to ponder upon man’s predicament, but a day to enjoy. I switched on my omnitel network and invited four of my friends by sending synchronized tele image and voice capsules through the network.

I dressed myself up for the occasion and suddenly the door announced an arrival. ‘Who is the early bird’-I thought and opened the door with great expectations only to find two men dressed in black. They flashed their O₂ inspection cards.

I had just paid my O₂bills, why are they here?

They told me rather coldly that I had exhausted my card limit. “You had been on a contract for fifteen years and today is your last day. The interplanetary teleportation system is also down and the only option is Lethal-D”.

Lethal-D!! I almost gasped. I tried to argue with them by telling that I had always paid the bills on time and never overheated during night hours, but even as I spoke, my hopelessness took over since they are known to be unbendable.

Oh, I have to die on my birthday! They said they are sorry, ‘the global supply of O₂is at a record low and the young and the productive has to live and phasing out the old is inevitable,’ ‘cold unbeatable logic’- I surmised.

I collected my gasping breath and sat on a chair. “Make it fast”- I shouted in panic. One of them ushered out a Lethal-D injection module and held my left arm and I felt the final prick –I shook and shuddered.

I woke up soaked in sweat – it was my wife pricking my arm. She told me that I had a nightmare and shouted, “Make it fast”. Oh God I am still alive! I drank a glass of water and ran outside the door and embraced the lone tree in my lawn even as my thumping heart whispered a sincere- “Thank you.”

Naosekpam Ajit is a researcher based in Himachal Pradesh. His research interests are Biocontrol and Bioconversion.

Read more / Original news source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Kanglaonline/~3/zNdwEFZDLIQ/