Loumee Shinmee Apun Lup (LOUSAL), Manipur on Thursday urged the state government to pay compensation to paddy farmers whose unthreshed paddies were torched by miscreants.

Speaking in a press meet held at Manipur Press Club, LOUSAL general secretary Laishram Kiranjit said that miscreants on early Wednesday morning around 4.30 am burnt over 4.34 acres of unthreshed paddy fields to ashes. The incident happened near National Sports University at Senjam Chirang and Senjam Khunou, Imphal West.

Torching of paddies is a criminal act, he further said, adding culprits should not be spared. He appealed to the Police to arrest the culprits, and not to remain silent after registering the FIR.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, added with shortage of urea and shortage of rainfall, the farmers have been already facing untold miseries. In such a difficult situation, destroying the paddy is a heinous crime, he added.

He also said that the farmers must also take up steps to protect their paddies. He suggested they guard the paddies until threshing day. The local clubs or organisations should take responsibility in protecting the paddies.