Bishnupur farmers seek safe access to fields, water supply

IMPHAL — Farmers in Bishnupur district of Manipur have appealed to the district administration to ensure safe access to their agricultural fields and to address the issue of water supply in their villages, stressing that agriculture remains their primary source of livelihood.

The farmers made their appeal directly to Deputy Commissioner (DC) Pooja Elangbam during her visit to various agricultural areas in the district, including Ngangkha Lawai, Naranseina, Phubala, and Thinungei. The visit aimed to engage with local farmers and understand their ground-level challenges.

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Accompanied by Additional Deputy Commissioner T. Opendro and other officials, DC Elangbam assured the farmers that the district administration is committed to their welfare. She promised to take up their concerns with the relevant authorities to find timely and effective solutions.

Elangbam also briefed the farmers on steps already initiated by the administration and listened to their grievances in detail. Farmers in vulnerable areas have faced increasing difficulty accessing and cultivating their fields due to ongoing unrest in the state.

Since the outbreak of ethnic violence on May 3, 2023, when a student rally turned violent in Churachandpur district, Manipur has witnessed widespread conflict, leading to over 250 deaths and displacing more than 50,000 people.

Bishnupur, which shares a border with Churachandpur, remains one of the most affected districts. Fear of further violence, including past firing incidents, has made it unsafe for farmers to work in foothill farmlands. In response, the district administration has been providing security cover during cultivation and harvest seasons for the past two years.

Earlier in the day, DC Pooja Elangbam, accompanied by Zonal Education Officer A. Gunamani, visited Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalaya in Moirang — a residential school for girls from underprivileged backgrounds. The school currently houses 200 students from various districts. The visit focused on assessing infrastructure and academic facilities.

On Thursday, the DC also visited two relief camps — Kwakta Sericulture Training Institute Prefabricated House and Chingu Thangjing Guest House — to assess the situation of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs). During interactions, IDPs raised concerns about the need for livelihood and income-generating programmes, seasonal water shortages, sanitation issues, and access to welfare schemes.