IMPHAL, Oct 30: After their paddy crops failed this year, a farmers’ body in Imphal East district urged the Manipur Government to compensate the farmers.
Protection Committee of Yaral to Purul Pat Loukol, Imphal East said on Saturday that paddy fields in the area under the committee have been severely hit by the drought this year.
Talking to reporters, T Parijat Singh, president of the committee, said that paddy crops in the area have failed due to water scarcity.
He also said that all the hard efforts of the farmers went in vain after water scarcity hit the State during the peak season, that too, after huge investment of both labour and money.
Parijat Singh recalled that at the initial stage of the sowing, the fields were damaged by artificial floods triggered by water logging due to improper drainage systems.
After the flood receded, the farmers again prepared their fields. But, another artificial flood destroyed the paddy plants.
For the third time of the season, the farmers bought rice saplings and transplanted them. However, due to no rain for three months straight (from July to September), the rice plants did not flowered, he said.
As such, the farmers of the area suffered huge losses, he added.
Parijat Singh demanded that the Agriculture department conduct a field survey and assess the damage caused by the drought.
The farmers should be compensated adequately, he further demanded. (NNN)
