SOBHAPATI SAMOM | IMPHAL, June 10 – Nearly 4,000 villagers of eight Ukhrul villages are reported to be facing acute shortage of food owing to failure of paddy crop in the last season. Information regarding the food scarcity being faced by the villagers located at the western side of the Phungyar sub-division of Ukhrul district was conveyed to a visiting team of reporters and volunteers of the Information for Hills Areas, Manipur (ICHAM).
The eight villages facing scarcity of food owing to failure of crops include Kumram village having a population of 475, Patbung has 250, Nongmen 450, Sorbun 700, Sorden 145, Sorde 430, Aleng 220 and Phungyar around 1,300. Villagers gave the reasons behind the failure of the paddy crop as mass destruction of the paddy crop by grasshoppers at the fruit-bearing stage.
In the last season also, they sowed paddy seeds in their fields in the traditional way. But a large part of the seeds failed to grow up. Some plants that sprouted were also attacked by the grasshoppers.
Concerned over the failure of the crops, village authorities approached the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul district to help them by providing relief materials. But it was in vain, they said. The villagers have finished up all the rice stocks. The villagers are now earning their livelihood by working as labourer. With the money they got from 100 days work under the NREGS, villagers are somehow feeding their families.
Village women are earning their daily bread by selling fruits and other editable items available in the villages.
Many children have left school and are helping their parents to earn livelihoods. The reporters held interactions with the village headmen and authorities.
The president of the Tangkhul Youth Council said that villagers are facing the woes for a long time and alleged that the government has neglected them. He appealed the government to provide relief to the villagers.
Source: The Assam Tribune
The eight villages facing scarcity of food owing to failure of crops include Kumram village having a population of 475, Patbung has 250, Nongmen 450, Sorbun 700, Sorden 145, Sorde 430, Aleng 220 and Phungyar around 1,300. Villagers gave the reasons behind the failure of the paddy crop as mass destruction of the paddy crop by grasshoppers at the fruit-bearing stage.
In the last season also, they sowed paddy seeds in their fields in the traditional way. But a large part of the seeds failed to grow up. Some plants that sprouted were also attacked by the grasshoppers.
Concerned over the failure of the crops, village authorities approached the Deputy Commissioner, Ukhrul district to help them by providing relief materials. But it was in vain, they said. The villagers have finished up all the rice stocks. The villagers are now earning their livelihood by working as labourer. With the money they got from 100 days work under the NREGS, villagers are somehow feeding their families.
Village women are earning their daily bread by selling fruits and other editable items available in the villages.
Many children have left school and are helping their parents to earn livelihoods. The reporters held interactions with the village headmen and authorities.
The president of the Tangkhul Youth Council said that villagers are facing the woes for a long time and alleged that the government has neglected them. He appealed the government to provide relief to the villagers.
Source: The Assam Tribune
No comments:
Post a Comment