Famine

Imphal, January 04 2008: EVEN THOUGH centre sanctioned Rs 16.67 for Manipur against a demand for Rs 50.02 crore, to fight the menace of rodent in the wake of bamboo flowering, over 1 lakh affected villagers of Churachandpur district are yet to get the relief materials due to economic blockade on NH 39 besides lack of state government's initiative.

"We're told that DC had deposited the required amount to FCI, but no supply reaches the district till date" Secretary, ZEPADA informed.

As per state Chief Secretary Rakesh's October 20,2008 directive to concerned DCs of Churachandpur, Chandel and Tamenglong districts to deposit necessary funds for the release of rice to Food Corporation of India(FCI), Churachandpur DC Sumant Singh deposited a sum of Rs 4,42,62,360 on December 6 last year.

FCI officials here when contacted,confirmed the receipt of the amount.

However the amount deposited to FCI could procure rice for four months only starting December 2008 till March this year at the rate of Rs 1698.90p per quintal (Rs 16 per kg), the offcials claimed and added in case of Churachandpur district, it could procure only about 6513 quintals of rice.

Mention may be made here that following centre's directive,FCI is all set to provide additional supply of 1500 metric tones of rice for the famine hit districts of Manipur including 800 metric tones quota for Churachandpur,500 metric tones for Tamenglong and 200 metric tones for Chandel.

"However we couldn't t bring the rice from Dimapur godown due to the ongoing economic blockade on NH 39 by various organizations" an FCI official told this reporter here."Besides we couldn't even collect it from Silchar godown as well via NH 53 due to unavailability of stock there"he added.

Above all the state authority is also not ready to provide security escorts for the FCI trucks,the FCI official lamented.

As per State Level Calamity Relief Fund Committee meeting,out of Rs 16.67 crores a total of Rs.6.47 crores had been sanctioned for agriculture input subsidy for Chandel, Churachandpur and Tamenglong districts which includes an amount of Rs.2,78,41,218 as agricultural input subsidy for Churachandpur district where 13,920.609 hectares with 1,03,558 persons from 14,307 families in 264 villages in the district bordering Myanmar were recorded affected by famine (or Mautaam in local parlance) due to bamboo flowering.

According to ZEPADA, so far only about 4,500 quintals of rice to the affected village against the requirement of over 10,000 quintals.

Manipur Hills Journalist Union, a conglomerate of working journalists based in Churachandpur in particular in one it's survey conducted last year discovered that NREGS (National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme) in Churachandpur plays a vital role as immediate measures for the affected villagers.

Interestingly bamboo grows wild in 3691.77 sq km of Manipur's total geographical area of 22,327 sq km.

Mautaam occurs within an interval of 48 50 years.

The previous mautaam occurs in 1958-59, affecting the same geographical area.

Unlike Manipur, neighbouring Mizoram which was given Rs 12.93 crore in the first installment followed by another amount of Rs 49.37 crore reportedly received the relief materials in time.

The amount is in addition to Rs 85 crore sanctioned by New Delhi under a special action plan to tackle bamboo flowering,reports reaching here said.

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And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven. -- Luke 21:11 {/niftybox}