(Period of Survey 14-19 November, 2007)
The MHJU team –
L. Chinkhanlian, President Editor, Manipur Express
Th. Thangzalian, Vice President Editor, The Lamka Post
Zohmingliana, Secretary Editor, Chhanty
Kh. Benlian Vaiphei, Editor, Nisin Thuhiltu
S. Singlianmang Guite, Correspondent, The Sangai Express
G. Muanthang, Correspondent, ISTV
NT Sanga, Cameraman, Angel’s Vision
Prelude
FIFTY years after a severe famine (Mautaam in local parlance) has claimed more than 15,000 lives in this part of the country, the same ugly facet as predicted reasonably has re-appeared in its entirety, threatening the very existence of every living soul dwelling in the hostile and neglected interior terrains of Manipur’s Churachandpur District.
The Manipur Hills Journalist Union – a conglomerate of working journalists based in the hills of Manipur, after a prolong survey and deliberate discussion has felt the need to highlight the reality. This booklet (in English) is, solely, a venture to educate the authority concern, of the reality, embark upon by the interior community following their devastating harvest as the MHJU papers were not universal.
Findings
Throughout its survey, MHJU is of the impression that famine – scarcity of food-grains, has indeed wrecked the economy of jhum dependent tribal communities. In all the forty villages surveyed, a whopping 99% has claimed that they were already on the threshold of Mautaam. 100% of the farmers interviewed said their normal harvest has been affected by rodents, storm or wild animals.
While describing their experiences with governmental programmes and its relief measures the general sentiment expressed was that the poor rarely benefit. This contention is compounded by the fact that PDS rice were sold only in bags atleast in three villages.
In fact many village chiefs have claimed that the existing BPL cards were issued not on actual survey of their living condition but from the comfort of SDO offices based solely on assumption. It has been revealed that the entire interior villages have in average an identical 40% BPL family. The concern officials have merely ridiculed the entire concept and their BPL cards were scorn-off by MLA nominees of FCS agents as it fails to rope in the disfavoured.
Hardly 10% of the population in each village could be accounted on the APL category. As such PDS supply meant for BPL Card holders – 40% of the population have to be shared with the remaining 50-60%.
Therefore, PDS needs to be expanded and made workable and accessible to the poor. There is also a need to review the issue of food stocks and their uses. Corruption and people’s lack of buying power in creating a piquant situation of low offtake needs to be addressed immediately.
The magnitude of desperation is such that the people have already submitted themselves of paltry celebration during the Christmas.
It is also revealing that a good majority of the populace lacks the purchasing power in order to benefit from PDS supplies even if it were to genuinely reach them. Entirely dedicating their year long energy on their Jhum, they have no other resource to depend on, when that fails.
Cutting woods, burning charcoal, hand sawing timber and collecting naturally grown forest vegetables were the only source that could generate alternative income. With the treacherous road connectivity and the meagre amount of resources these sources were occasional.
And, it is not just the food-grains that have been perverted. Even ginger, turmeric, chillies and other harvest some of the people could depend on were shattered by the ever increasing rodents, storm and other wild insects and animals including parrots, squirrels, wild boars, bats, etc.
Other key findings
None of the roads, except for the 30 plus kms stretch already black-top by BRTF, were courteous. They were mostly treacherous and in some cases life threatening.
The pace of work undertaken by the BRTF in Tipaimukh Road/NH-150, and PWD in Tedim Road and Guite Road was abysmal. Specifications were flawed even before black-topping, in many a stretch along the road undertaken by PWD. The expansion undertaken along the stretch in close proximity to Singngat sub-division headquarters was commendable, yet a great deal of the Tedim Road-Guite Road stretch lacks similar repute.
At Bukpi village, a 25-year old innovative youth has grown more than 200 vines of Beetlenut leaves (Mithapatta) and plug 5000 leaves every week with a handsome proceed of Rs. 1500.
Government officials including the SDOs have shunned the interior sub-division and merely visit their place of actual posting once in a while. Most of the office works are executed from the district headquarter only to reckon the suffering of the interior community. In a great deal of the educational institutions unqualified villagers are engaged on lease by the bonafied teachers, and what is more interesting is the fact that some of the village chiefs are part of the deal with a stake.
NREGS as immediate relief
Though most of the villagers have to pay from their own pocket the expense incurred in obtaining their photos; Rs. 20 in most cases, 75% of the individuals interviewed (including women) and 85% in the case of men were fully aware that JOB CARDS were meant for realising a hundred days Jon from the government.
Therefore, the NREG Scheme, if implemented immediately and used for improving the road connectivity of the villages, would go a long way in relieving the adversity interior communities have bumped upon.
That way, families under the clutches of famine would be able to earn their living and the treacherous road connectivity would fare better of to enhance regulation of PDS items and other essential commodities.
But with the present pace of implementation it is doubtful that the scheme would reach them before they really starve. And the financial year closing on March 2008 it would be a challenging task to practically endow a hundred-day job in four months in which Christmas and New Year festivity should also reck
www.mautaam.org
The MHJU team –
L. Chinkhanlian, President Editor, Manipur Express
Th. Thangzalian, Vice President Editor, The Lamka Post
Zohmingliana, Secretary Editor, Chhanty
Kh. Benlian Vaiphei, Editor, Nisin Thuhiltu
S. Singlianmang Guite, Correspondent, The Sangai Express
G. Muanthang, Correspondent, ISTV
NT Sanga, Cameraman, Angel’s Vision
Prelude
FIFTY years after a severe famine (Mautaam in local parlance) has claimed more than 15,000 lives in this part of the country, the same ugly facet as predicted reasonably has re-appeared in its entirety, threatening the very existence of every living soul dwelling in the hostile and neglected interior terrains of Manipur’s Churachandpur District.
The Manipur Hills Journalist Union – a conglomerate of working journalists based in the hills of Manipur, after a prolong survey and deliberate discussion has felt the need to highlight the reality. This booklet (in English) is, solely, a venture to educate the authority concern, of the reality, embark upon by the interior community following their devastating harvest as the MHJU papers were not universal.
Findings
Throughout its survey, MHJU is of the impression that famine – scarcity of food-grains, has indeed wrecked the economy of jhum dependent tribal communities. In all the forty villages surveyed, a whopping 99% has claimed that they were already on the threshold of Mautaam. 100% of the farmers interviewed said their normal harvest has been affected by rodents, storm or wild animals.
While describing their experiences with governmental programmes and its relief measures the general sentiment expressed was that the poor rarely benefit. This contention is compounded by the fact that PDS rice were sold only in bags atleast in three villages.
In fact many village chiefs have claimed that the existing BPL cards were issued not on actual survey of their living condition but from the comfort of SDO offices based solely on assumption. It has been revealed that the entire interior villages have in average an identical 40% BPL family. The concern officials have merely ridiculed the entire concept and their BPL cards were scorn-off by MLA nominees of FCS agents as it fails to rope in the disfavoured.
Hardly 10% of the population in each village could be accounted on the APL category. As such PDS supply meant for BPL Card holders – 40% of the population have to be shared with the remaining 50-60%.
Therefore, PDS needs to be expanded and made workable and accessible to the poor. There is also a need to review the issue of food stocks and their uses. Corruption and people’s lack of buying power in creating a piquant situation of low offtake needs to be addressed immediately.
The magnitude of desperation is such that the people have already submitted themselves of paltry celebration during the Christmas.
It is also revealing that a good majority of the populace lacks the purchasing power in order to benefit from PDS supplies even if it were to genuinely reach them. Entirely dedicating their year long energy on their Jhum, they have no other resource to depend on, when that fails.
Cutting woods, burning charcoal, hand sawing timber and collecting naturally grown forest vegetables were the only source that could generate alternative income. With the treacherous road connectivity and the meagre amount of resources these sources were occasional.
And, it is not just the food-grains that have been perverted. Even ginger, turmeric, chillies and other harvest some of the people could depend on were shattered by the ever increasing rodents, storm and other wild insects and animals including parrots, squirrels, wild boars, bats, etc.
Other key findings
None of the roads, except for the 30 plus kms stretch already black-top by BRTF, were courteous. They were mostly treacherous and in some cases life threatening.
The pace of work undertaken by the BRTF in Tipaimukh Road/NH-150, and PWD in Tedim Road and Guite Road was abysmal. Specifications were flawed even before black-topping, in many a stretch along the road undertaken by PWD. The expansion undertaken along the stretch in close proximity to Singngat sub-division headquarters was commendable, yet a great deal of the Tedim Road-Guite Road stretch lacks similar repute.
At Bukpi village, a 25-year old innovative youth has grown more than 200 vines of Beetlenut leaves (Mithapatta) and plug 5000 leaves every week with a handsome proceed of Rs. 1500.
Government officials including the SDOs have shunned the interior sub-division and merely visit their place of actual posting once in a while. Most of the office works are executed from the district headquarter only to reckon the suffering of the interior community. In a great deal of the educational institutions unqualified villagers are engaged on lease by the bonafied teachers, and what is more interesting is the fact that some of the village chiefs are part of the deal with a stake.
NREGS as immediate relief
Though most of the villagers have to pay from their own pocket the expense incurred in obtaining their photos; Rs. 20 in most cases, 75% of the individuals interviewed (including women) and 85% in the case of men were fully aware that JOB CARDS were meant for realising a hundred days Jon from the government.
Therefore, the NREG Scheme, if implemented immediately and used for improving the road connectivity of the villages, would go a long way in relieving the adversity interior communities have bumped upon.
That way, families under the clutches of famine would be able to earn their living and the treacherous road connectivity would fare better of to enhance regulation of PDS items and other essential commodities.
But with the present pace of implementation it is doubtful that the scheme would reach them before they really starve. And the financial year closing on March 2008 it would be a challenging task to practically endow a hundred-day job in four months in which Christmas and New Year festivity should also reck
www.mautaam.org
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