Village Development Council, New Tusom, and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS), Manipur will host the event, which is sponsored by the government of Manipur’s Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services, with the target to achieve the government of India’s goal of doubling farmers’ income, AIMS stated in a release.

ALSO READ: Nine water buffaloes die mysteriously; more infected at Namrei village in Ukhrul

The residents of New Tusom Village and neighbouring villages in Ukhrul district rely heavily on water buffalo as a source of income, AIMS stated. In nature, water buffaloes are typically semi-wild. Buffaloes are employed for natural farming operations such as ploughing fields and milk production, it stated. The highest number of buffaloes in Manipur is found in the village of New Tusom and its neighbouring villages, it mentioned. There are about 1,800 buffaloes in New Tusom Village and as many as buffaloes in its surrounding villages, it added.  

It stated that the buffaloes are mostly reared by the poor farmers and their production potentiality is low. Every year, the village suffers from an outbreak of mysterious sickness that kills about 90-120 water buffaloes. As a result, the inhabitants in the affected regions are in a state of terror and helplessness, it added.

ALSO READ: Unknown disease spreads further, claims 25 water buffaloes, 10 cows in Manipur's Ukhrul district

New Tusom is a village in the Chingai Tehsil, Ukhrul district, Manipur. It is 190 kilometres from Imphal and 86 kilometres from Ukhrul. New Tusom is close to the villages of Chingai (23 km), Wahong (18 km), Kongai (9 km), Challow (16 km), Razai Khullen (22 km), and Razai Khunou (32 km), Meluri Tehsil, Nagaland’s Phek district to the north, and Myanmar to the east, surround New Tusom village, AIMS stated. With a total population of 1801 and 34 houses, they speak Tangkhul language, it added.