Imphal: Namtiram farmers are calling on the Manipur government and the Tamenglong district administration to fix a vital dam and canal system. Heavy rains on July 15 washed away the infrastructure near the Barak River in Namtiram Part-III Village. This is a disaster. The destruction crippled water supplies for the Gouzaiham paddy fields during the middle of the growing season.
I.D. Kaipisinnang, secretary of the Namtiram Area Farmers Association, pointed to construction debris from National Highway-137. He told reporters, "The dam, guard and canal were completely washed away by flooding." The buildup of mud and waste in local streams intensified the flow and wrecked the irrigation system, which the Minor Irrigation Department first built back in 1994.
The loss of water is hitting hard. The fields usually support 20 acres of crops, but shortages limited this year’s output to just six acres. Around 10 local farmers work this land. Several of them cannot plant anything at all. The community tried to rig a temporary fix using steel posts and 60 feet of three-inch GI pipes, but that setup failed to get enough water to the crops.
Farmers have sent damage reports and photos to local officials repeatedly. They want a spot inspection and immediate repairs to save their livelihoods. They need the government to step up before the current harvest season ends in total failure.
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