Rain causes havoc in Churachandpur

Imphal: Incessant heavy rain showering since the past many days has caused havoc and left many people displaced in Churachandpur district of Manipur.

Villages along the Eastern Khuga river downstream at Meitei Christian Leikai, Nengthawng Veng and Kerith Veng were innundated and several homes and agricultural lands were submergered.

The Khuga river that has reach the brim, upto the level of the approach road to these villages is posing a grave danger and fear. The villages approach road in the present condition is such that it will erode further soon due to the strong river current. Pedestrains and villagers remain cut off since many days due to the danger posed by the connecting road, that has narrowed due to several erosion in the past years.

Amidst the gloom, villagers felt a sense of hope when MLA L.M. Khaute visited the villages and took stock of the situation. Villagers also were given immediate relief comprising of food items. The MLA was accompanied by district administration offcials.

The villages along the eastren Khuga river downstream are severely affected every monsoon for over decades. Every year these villagers were affected by recurring flood and large part of their residing lands and agricultural fields have been submerged and washed away by the river. Many lands that were surveyed earlier had been submerged by the river. Many families have fled from their villages as their residential and agriculture lands had been destroyed and submerged by the river.

The strong Khuga river current directly hit the eastern bank causing continuous land and soil erosion at the eastern bank and is always a threat to the villagers. The villages’ life line- Inter Village public Road (IVR) is the only communicating village road (IVR) between Churachandpur Lamka Town and the villages. This public road is on the eastern bank of the Khuga river and every year huge portion of the connectring road is eroded and carried away by the river current. Earlier this inter- village public road was motor-able but now it has been narrowed down so much to just a footpath.

With the spot visit of MLA Khaute on Friday, villagers are hopeful that their situation will improve and that every monsoon will no longer cause fear and un-certainity for the people and inhabitants fo these villages. MLA Khaute assured the villagers that he will do all possible measures to prevent the impact of monsoon every year.

Saute assured that an effective measures such as anti-erosion against recurring flood is one such measures that will be taken up to control and prevent such flood damages in future.

A 75 years old villager Vialzakham who have been experiencing numerous flood over the years expressed his gratitude. “For the past many years we were left to fend for themselves. No VIPs have visted. Now the MLA visited us, we are grateful and look forward to his intervention on the issue soon.”