Sir,
Sub: “SPECIAL KUDOS” TO THE HON’BLE CM & SPF MINISTRY.
Let us take this opportunity to congratulate our Hon’ble Chief Minister & the SPF Ministry for mastering the art of skirting public issues, including diversion of funds for all uses, other than the one sanctioned for. Such actions and inactions have made them become immune to genuine public issues. They never seem to consider anything worth their worthy attention, unless there are processions, bandhs, blockages, or JACs formed to make some drama! ‘Drama’ seems to be the culture that those who make up our government have taken to - like fish to water. Such a practice predicts a gloomy future for the state in general and, right now, in particular deep gloom for the people of an area in Churachandpur who are staring famine in the face!
Dear Editor/Readers, we are talking about a famine called Mautam, the natural phenomena peculiar to the region. Mautam is a 50-year cyclical visitation when bamboos flower, fructify, rodents begin to multiply and then eat up all food-grains and standing crops, leading to a famine.
The following is an account of how our government – the Government of Manipur State – has and is handling this crisis. People say they were and are sleeping. We say NO, because they were/are doing what they are good at, viz. -
1. Probably after taking a cue from the efforts and work of neighbouring Mizoram State (where Mautam is even more widespread) our State Government too, in their Annual Budget, 2006-07, earmarked Rs. 9.9 crores for combating bamboo flowering in the state. The above amount, as reported by The Sangai Express, dated 23rd October, 2006, was released by the Central Government in mid-October, 2006.
As per reports the Rs. 9.9 crores for combating bamboo flowering, as sanctioned for 2006-07 has been spent! This we call the SPF Government Drama.
The drama is that:
In May, 2008 the government generously distributed 4500 qtls. of relief rice and 94 kgs of rodenticides till date! Also one of the line departments in Churachandpur has claimed to have conducted quarterly survey of rodents, and that they distributed 10,550 kgs of rodenticides, 1,900 rat traps and a bounty for 25,000 rat tails @ Rs.2/- per tail, as on 29/3/2008.
- In spite of such tall claims, no villager has gone on record to say he got even a single gram of rodenticide! (Incidentally, the District Agriculture Department had estimated the rodenticide requirement for the district’s affected area as at least 8,700 quintals!)
- As for rat traps, the only rat traps to be found are the traditional ones, the mankhong!
- Regarding the bounty for rat tails, no villager from the affected areas got a single paise! Instead, what jolted and disgusted Manipur were the pictures of thousands of dried rat tails, splashed in colour, in The Sangai Express and Imphal Free Press in August, 2008. And these were just some samples displayed by the disappointed, helpless villagers of Khaukual, Tuikuimuallum and Lungthul (E) who had heard that Manipur too was offering Rs. 2/- per rat tail, while they knew Mizoram was actually buying up rat tails @ Rs. 5/- per tail from its villagers. This is one of the novel means of reducing the menace of rodent population, while increasing purchasing power!
We know the money has been spent. We do not know when and how, because the drama was not staged before the target people.
2. Everybody knows that bamboo flowering started in 2005 in the south-west corner of Churachandpur District and the rodent menace began by mid-2006. By 2007-08 the District Forest Department’s records showed that over 94.92% of the district’s bamboo growing area had flowered. The locals of the affected areas began to report that hordes of rats, that seemed to come from nowhere, started devouring their standing crops. Several of Churachandpur’s civil society organisations, fore-warned by tales of horror from elders who had experienced the last Mautam, sounded a Famine Alert, but to no avail.
Commendably, the media fraternity of the state, ranging from its two major English dailies, The Sangai Express and the Imphal Free Press, even the ISTV, along with all local media, spearheaded by the Manipur Hill Journalist Union, Churachandpur (MHJU), repeatedly highlighted the alarming situation. Their reports and interviews of affected people were supported by pictures of abandoned jhum fields and crops that had been damaged by rats attacking crops. Sensing the impending famine and disturbed by the government’s inaction, they went to the extent of conducting two independent surveys by September, 2008. But all such efforts were in vain, because the State Government did not even bother to document their reports, let alone acknowledge the impending calamity, though they had quietly and dramatically spent Rs. 9.9 crores that had been budgeted for combating bamboo flowering!
3. In sharp contrast to our State Government drama, a Central Inter-Ministerial Team - consisting of representatives from MHA, Food & Public Distribution, National Disaster Management, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development - and led by Shri Pankaj Kumar, IAS, Jt. Secretary (MHA), came on 2nd & 3rd April, 2008 to survey the area for extent of damage. Their eyes were opened in horror and they left with a telling comment: ‘With or without Mautaam famine, the people are already living in extreme poverty conditions.’
4. As a result of the un-precedented MHA-led survey, the District Administration prepared an exhaustive Mautam Affected Report, 2008, based on 2007 crop production. (Due to lapses on the part of a concerned Sub-Divisional Officer this ground-breaking Report, failed to include the genuinely Mautam-affected Sangaikot TD Block of Churachandpur Sub-Division!!). In the main, the District Administration’s Report estimated a sum of Rs.19 crores for Mautam Relief for Churachandpur District and reportedly demands additional 8000qtls of rice per month over and above the existing PDS monthly quota.
5. Our dramatic State Government, using Churachandpur District’s pioneering Report called assessments from Tamenglong and Chandel districts, and then made demands to the Centre for a sum of Rs. 50 crores for Mautam Relief!
6. Consequent upon the MHA-led Central visit, and on the strength of their recommendation, the Central Government released a sum of Rs. 16.67 crores under CRF for Mautam Famine Relief during the month of June 2008.
7. It is significant to note that nothing was heard about the fund released by the Centre way back in June 2008, till September 5th, 2008, the day our Chief Minister had agreed to inaugurate the CONCERT FOR THE HUNGRY at Churachandpur. Appropriate to the unfolding drama, he did not come. But, typical of the drama culture it was publicly announced that Rs. 5.45 crores had been released by the Government of Manipur for Mautam Relief.
8. Not un-expectedly, our Chief Minister’s failing to grace the Concert, and inaugurate it, has sent some strong clear signals. For, as the head of the state - a part of which was facing an un-precedented Famine and the prospects of Death by Starvation - there seems to be only indifference and callousness! Hence the Pandora’s Box of Questions: Why has the SPF ministry taken over two months to release only 32% of what was sanctioned? What about the remaining Rs. 11.22 crores for Mautam Relief?
The reasons are best known to the SPF Ministry. There are, however, some talks doing the rounds, about the CM not daring to face the hungry public empty-handed, and that he waits for floods to take place in valley areas to divert funds!
9. The fact of the matter is that the ground situation has not improved, while the fates of the Hungry are getting worse with each passing day. Whereas, crores of rupees have done the dramatic “utilised-disappearing” act. Whereas, not a single family affected by bamboo flowering is rehabilitated! Whereas, not a patch of jhum land is found treated! Whereas, the government might claim to have taken preventive health measures, yet people are dying of famine-related disease in Tipaimukh and Thanlon areas! In short, what we, the people of Churachandpur, fear is another dramatic twist to rat tales and crores! That must never happen. One way to discourage that is for the previous utilization to be made transparent, with heads rolling if need be.
REALITY CHECK:
The first thing to realise is that we are just about in the middle of the scourge of Mautam. Its impact on the people of the affected areas has been noticed but the worse is yet to come. Its impact upon those of us who live in well-connected urban centres is that of occasional contributions in cash and kind, and the little effort of lending a sympathetic ear. These, however, would not do if Mautam hits the areas a degree harder, only because the counter measures and mechanisms were not put in place.
The civil societies of Churachandour are making a small noise, asking for the mechanisms to be put in place, while trying to put as many shoulders to the wheel, before, God forbid, any starvation or neglect deaths take place!
SUGGESTIONS TO THE CM & SPF MINISTRY TO EARN REAL ‘KUDOS’:
The needs of the hour are:
(i) Emergency relief rice should be send immediately.
(ii) Our State Government must immediately come out with an independent policy on Bamboo Flowering and Famine Combat, and not depend – at the last minute - on whatever our rattling begging bowls will get from the Central Government.
(iii) A Mautam Special Task Force (MSTF), comprising of government experts and a few of our involved local NGOs, to go and study the experience and steps taken by the Government of Mizoram, mainly because Mautam in their state is a bigger issue, and most of the areas affected in Manipur adjoin their affected areas.
(iv) The construction of an FCI Godown, and its stocking to full capacity in Churachandpur town, before the year 2008 ends.
(v) The construction of appropriate-sized FCS Godowns in all the Sub-Divisional HQs of the affected areas, along with their stocking.
(vi) Capacity building at the remote areas through Units under the MSTF so as to give confidence to the local communities in the affected areas, and not in district HQs or the state capital!
(vii) While awaiting recommendations and implementation of the Report of the MSTF, Mautam related counter-measures, like modified granaries, can be constructed under the NREGS.
(viii) The existing VGBs as well as additional VGBs( 105+99 nos) sanctioned by the Central government should be implemented immediately.
(ix) Lastly, absolute transparency, in the way every single rupee of the publicly announced Rs. 5.54 crores is being utilized.
Sir, Mautaam is serious, very serious. The SPF Ministry also claims to be serious. We all shall know how sincere they are in a very short time, through real steps taken in rodent control, rehabilitation of the affected people and Famine Relief reaching where most needed, and so on.
It is not difficult to earn real kudos. The HUNGRY, and all of us on the sidelines, have hands raised ready to burst out clapping. But, beware the raised hands!
For and on behalf of the HUNGRY public,
Sd/-
(P.K.Munga)
Working Chairman
ZEPADA
Source: http://zogam.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4413
Sub: “SPECIAL KUDOS” TO THE HON’BLE CM & SPF MINISTRY.
Let us take this opportunity to congratulate our Hon’ble Chief Minister & the SPF Ministry for mastering the art of skirting public issues, including diversion of funds for all uses, other than the one sanctioned for. Such actions and inactions have made them become immune to genuine public issues. They never seem to consider anything worth their worthy attention, unless there are processions, bandhs, blockages, or JACs formed to make some drama! ‘Drama’ seems to be the culture that those who make up our government have taken to - like fish to water. Such a practice predicts a gloomy future for the state in general and, right now, in particular deep gloom for the people of an area in Churachandpur who are staring famine in the face!
Dear Editor/Readers, we are talking about a famine called Mautam, the natural phenomena peculiar to the region. Mautam is a 50-year cyclical visitation when bamboos flower, fructify, rodents begin to multiply and then eat up all food-grains and standing crops, leading to a famine.
The following is an account of how our government – the Government of Manipur State – has and is handling this crisis. People say they were and are sleeping. We say NO, because they were/are doing what they are good at, viz. -
1. Probably after taking a cue from the efforts and work of neighbouring Mizoram State (where Mautam is even more widespread) our State Government too, in their Annual Budget, 2006-07, earmarked Rs. 9.9 crores for combating bamboo flowering in the state. The above amount, as reported by The Sangai Express, dated 23rd October, 2006, was released by the Central Government in mid-October, 2006.
As per reports the Rs. 9.9 crores for combating bamboo flowering, as sanctioned for 2006-07 has been spent! This we call the SPF Government Drama.
The drama is that:
In May, 2008 the government generously distributed 4500 qtls. of relief rice and 94 kgs of rodenticides till date! Also one of the line departments in Churachandpur has claimed to have conducted quarterly survey of rodents, and that they distributed 10,550 kgs of rodenticides, 1,900 rat traps and a bounty for 25,000 rat tails @ Rs.2/- per tail, as on 29/3/2008.
- In spite of such tall claims, no villager has gone on record to say he got even a single gram of rodenticide! (Incidentally, the District Agriculture Department had estimated the rodenticide requirement for the district’s affected area as at least 8,700 quintals!)
- As for rat traps, the only rat traps to be found are the traditional ones, the mankhong!
- Regarding the bounty for rat tails, no villager from the affected areas got a single paise! Instead, what jolted and disgusted Manipur were the pictures of thousands of dried rat tails, splashed in colour, in The Sangai Express and Imphal Free Press in August, 2008. And these were just some samples displayed by the disappointed, helpless villagers of Khaukual, Tuikuimuallum and Lungthul (E) who had heard that Manipur too was offering Rs. 2/- per rat tail, while they knew Mizoram was actually buying up rat tails @ Rs. 5/- per tail from its villagers. This is one of the novel means of reducing the menace of rodent population, while increasing purchasing power!
We know the money has been spent. We do not know when and how, because the drama was not staged before the target people.
2. Everybody knows that bamboo flowering started in 2005 in the south-west corner of Churachandpur District and the rodent menace began by mid-2006. By 2007-08 the District Forest Department’s records showed that over 94.92% of the district’s bamboo growing area had flowered. The locals of the affected areas began to report that hordes of rats, that seemed to come from nowhere, started devouring their standing crops. Several of Churachandpur’s civil society organisations, fore-warned by tales of horror from elders who had experienced the last Mautam, sounded a Famine Alert, but to no avail.
Commendably, the media fraternity of the state, ranging from its two major English dailies, The Sangai Express and the Imphal Free Press, even the ISTV, along with all local media, spearheaded by the Manipur Hill Journalist Union, Churachandpur (MHJU), repeatedly highlighted the alarming situation. Their reports and interviews of affected people were supported by pictures of abandoned jhum fields and crops that had been damaged by rats attacking crops. Sensing the impending famine and disturbed by the government’s inaction, they went to the extent of conducting two independent surveys by September, 2008. But all such efforts were in vain, because the State Government did not even bother to document their reports, let alone acknowledge the impending calamity, though they had quietly and dramatically spent Rs. 9.9 crores that had been budgeted for combating bamboo flowering!
3. In sharp contrast to our State Government drama, a Central Inter-Ministerial Team - consisting of representatives from MHA, Food & Public Distribution, National Disaster Management, Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development - and led by Shri Pankaj Kumar, IAS, Jt. Secretary (MHA), came on 2nd & 3rd April, 2008 to survey the area for extent of damage. Their eyes were opened in horror and they left with a telling comment: ‘With or without Mautaam famine, the people are already living in extreme poverty conditions.’
4. As a result of the un-precedented MHA-led survey, the District Administration prepared an exhaustive Mautam Affected Report, 2008, based on 2007 crop production. (Due to lapses on the part of a concerned Sub-Divisional Officer this ground-breaking Report, failed to include the genuinely Mautam-affected Sangaikot TD Block of Churachandpur Sub-Division!!). In the main, the District Administration’s Report estimated a sum of Rs.19 crores for Mautam Relief for Churachandpur District and reportedly demands additional 8000qtls of rice per month over and above the existing PDS monthly quota.
5. Our dramatic State Government, using Churachandpur District’s pioneering Report called assessments from Tamenglong and Chandel districts, and then made demands to the Centre for a sum of Rs. 50 crores for Mautam Relief!
6. Consequent upon the MHA-led Central visit, and on the strength of their recommendation, the Central Government released a sum of Rs. 16.67 crores under CRF for Mautam Famine Relief during the month of June 2008.
7. It is significant to note that nothing was heard about the fund released by the Centre way back in June 2008, till September 5th, 2008, the day our Chief Minister had agreed to inaugurate the CONCERT FOR THE HUNGRY at Churachandpur. Appropriate to the unfolding drama, he did not come. But, typical of the drama culture it was publicly announced that Rs. 5.45 crores had been released by the Government of Manipur for Mautam Relief.
8. Not un-expectedly, our Chief Minister’s failing to grace the Concert, and inaugurate it, has sent some strong clear signals. For, as the head of the state - a part of which was facing an un-precedented Famine and the prospects of Death by Starvation - there seems to be only indifference and callousness! Hence the Pandora’s Box of Questions: Why has the SPF ministry taken over two months to release only 32% of what was sanctioned? What about the remaining Rs. 11.22 crores for Mautam Relief?
The reasons are best known to the SPF Ministry. There are, however, some talks doing the rounds, about the CM not daring to face the hungry public empty-handed, and that he waits for floods to take place in valley areas to divert funds!
9. The fact of the matter is that the ground situation has not improved, while the fates of the Hungry are getting worse with each passing day. Whereas, crores of rupees have done the dramatic “utilised-disappearing” act. Whereas, not a single family affected by bamboo flowering is rehabilitated! Whereas, not a patch of jhum land is found treated! Whereas, the government might claim to have taken preventive health measures, yet people are dying of famine-related disease in Tipaimukh and Thanlon areas! In short, what we, the people of Churachandpur, fear is another dramatic twist to rat tales and crores! That must never happen. One way to discourage that is for the previous utilization to be made transparent, with heads rolling if need be.
REALITY CHECK:
The first thing to realise is that we are just about in the middle of the scourge of Mautam. Its impact on the people of the affected areas has been noticed but the worse is yet to come. Its impact upon those of us who live in well-connected urban centres is that of occasional contributions in cash and kind, and the little effort of lending a sympathetic ear. These, however, would not do if Mautam hits the areas a degree harder, only because the counter measures and mechanisms were not put in place.
The civil societies of Churachandour are making a small noise, asking for the mechanisms to be put in place, while trying to put as many shoulders to the wheel, before, God forbid, any starvation or neglect deaths take place!
SUGGESTIONS TO THE CM & SPF MINISTRY TO EARN REAL ‘KUDOS’:
The needs of the hour are:
(i) Emergency relief rice should be send immediately.
(ii) Our State Government must immediately come out with an independent policy on Bamboo Flowering and Famine Combat, and not depend – at the last minute - on whatever our rattling begging bowls will get from the Central Government.
(iii) A Mautam Special Task Force (MSTF), comprising of government experts and a few of our involved local NGOs, to go and study the experience and steps taken by the Government of Mizoram, mainly because Mautam in their state is a bigger issue, and most of the areas affected in Manipur adjoin their affected areas.
(iv) The construction of an FCI Godown, and its stocking to full capacity in Churachandpur town, before the year 2008 ends.
(v) The construction of appropriate-sized FCS Godowns in all the Sub-Divisional HQs of the affected areas, along with their stocking.
(vi) Capacity building at the remote areas through Units under the MSTF so as to give confidence to the local communities in the affected areas, and not in district HQs or the state capital!
(vii) While awaiting recommendations and implementation of the Report of the MSTF, Mautam related counter-measures, like modified granaries, can be constructed under the NREGS.
(viii) The existing VGBs as well as additional VGBs( 105+99 nos) sanctioned by the Central government should be implemented immediately.
(ix) Lastly, absolute transparency, in the way every single rupee of the publicly announced Rs. 5.54 crores is being utilized.
Sir, Mautaam is serious, very serious. The SPF Ministry also claims to be serious. We all shall know how sincere they are in a very short time, through real steps taken in rodent control, rehabilitation of the affected people and Famine Relief reaching where most needed, and so on.
It is not difficult to earn real kudos. The HUNGRY, and all of us on the sidelines, have hands raised ready to burst out clapping. But, beware the raised hands!
For and on behalf of the HUNGRY public,
Sd/-
(P.K.Munga)
Working Chairman
ZEPADA
Source: http://zogam.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=4413
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