Imphal, August 2 NNN: Although the drought like situation in Manipur is seemed to have slightly improved as the state continues to receive normal rainfall in the last one week, it cannot be assumed that the state has freed from the current drought like situation.
Manipur Chief Minister Okram Ibobi had said earlier that the state received 63 per cent of annual rainfall this season, hence it would not be a right step to declare drought in the state.
Manipur was declared drought-hit state in the year 2009 when it received only 43 per cent of the annual rainfall.
Notwithstanding to the immediate demand for declaration of drought in Manipur by various NGOs and All Manipur Progressive Farmers’ Association (AMPFA), the Manipur Government had decided to provide urea at subsidised rates and monitor the rainfall pattern and its status.
Districts which receive less than 75 cm of rainfall per annum are liable to drought, according to the Irrigation Commission (Mamoria 1978: 123).
Official reports had informed earlier that shortage of rainfall in Manipur this year was registered at 313.22 mm against the normal range with only 56 per cent of rain-fed agricultural land area measuring 2,13, 280 hectares in both the hill and valley in the state was cultivable.
Among the districts in the state, the most rain water-starved paddy fields are in Thoubal and Bishnupur districts where 33 per cent of the paddy fields in the former and 23 per cent in the latter were so far succeeded in cultivation as of early July.
However, places in Tamenglong, Ukhrul and Senapati in the hills have reportedly received enough rain when compared with other districts in the valley during this season.
The state government finally took up the initiative to supply water to paddy fields in Bishnupur district through the Loktak Lift Irrigation (LI) project. The lake water will provide irrigation to about 4000 hectares of paddy fields in Ningthoukhong, Oinam, Moirang and Bishnupur constituencies. Loktak Lift project is currently providing water in the areas through Imphal Main Canal and Moirang Low Level Canal.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/rainfall-bringing-slight-relief-to-farmers/
