Over 500 acres of paddy farms that have been facing irrigation problem for the last many years will be solved this year and farmers would be able to increase their yields amid pandemic, said Information Centre for Hill Areas Manipur (ICHAM) former president, Nongthombam Rajendro while speaking during cleaning of Kongba River on Wednesday at Khundrakpam Mayai Leikai, Imphal East.
Rajendro alias Boi said that for the last many years, farmers of the area, particularly the villagers of Haraorou, Tangkham and Sambei have been suffering due to improper irrigation systems. The farmers have been using the water of the Kongba River for irrigation purposes. However, due to lack of maintenance of the river, the farmers have been suffering throughout the season, he added.
To reduce the sufferings faced by the farmers of the area, cleaning of the river bed and its bank of total length about four and half kilometers was started. So far, three and half kilometers of the river has completed cleaning and about one kilometre is left, said Rajendro.
In the coming monsoon season, the river would provide adequate water irrigation with proper control of flood in the area, he added.
Langpoklakpam Komol, one of the farmers of Khundrakpam Mayai Leikai, said that the river was in natural condition and since many years, the farmers of the area have been using the water for irrigation purposes. But due to lack of maintenance, the farmers are now suffering.
During the rainy season, there is overflow of water in the river and during the dry season, there is drought like situation, he added.
Appreciating the present government for taking various initiatives for the welfare of the farmers of the area, he said that the government has made the road on the side of the paddy field motorable. Now, the farmers can get various benefits while sowing seeds and harvesting the paddy, he added.
Komol also said that before cleaning of the river, there was not much yielding in the paddy fields. However, with the initiatives of the present government, proper irrigation can be done to the paddy fields.
