SIPHRO

Imphal, March 23, 2007: Responding to calls for supply of food material (rice) to people residing in the remote areas of Tipaimukh where there is report of acute food shortage, the State Government has decided to ferry rice from nearby Silchar of Assam through the Tipaimukh river water route.

Tipaimukh sub-division in Churachandpur district shares border with Mizoram and is also located close to Silchar.

The region (Tipaimukh) is said to be reeling under rapid depletion of food stocks in the wake of bamboo flowering apart from report that there was no transport/provision of food from the FCS Department from its Imphal godown for the last many months.
The state Government’s decision to supply rice is in response to a memorandum submitted recently to Chief Secretary Jarnail Singh by the Hmar Students’ Association (HSA), general headquarters urging him to take immediate measures to ensure villagers of the sub-division get adequate food grains supply, informed HSA president John Pulamte.

Informing that Tipaimukh and its adjoining areas have been hit by the cyclical bamboo flowering phenomena culminating in large-scale spurt in rodent population, the memo urged the government for immediate intervention and ensure the central authorities allow transportation of food grains from Silchar godown to the sub-division.

Located about 290 kms from Imphal, Tipaimukh is inaccessible particularly during the rainy season due to the deplorable road condition. The best route to transport the food grains is by using boats on the Barak river from Silchar to Parbung, the sub-divisional headquarters, which is located 230 kms away, mentioned the HSA memo.

“The state has agreed in principal to our demands incorporated in the memorandum and an official note to this effect would be dispatched by to the central authorities including the Food Corporation of India for final approval,” Pulamte said.
“We hope the centre will agree to such a move as the proposed route will benefit the villagers,” Pulamte said.

Once the matter is okayed then the rice would be transported by trucks from Silchar FCI godown to Phularton in Assam from where the same would be ferried along Barak river on boats up to Parbung for its final destination at Tipaimukh, he said adding half of the total rice quota of the sub-division could be distributed to the villagers along the banks of waterway, John expressed.

The allotment of rice quota per month alloted by the Food and Civil Supplies department for the sub-division covering 52 villages with nearly 5000 families is 471 quintals of BPL and 107 quintals of AAY.

Owing to inadequacy of rice the villagers are compelled to procure it at exorbitant rates from Mizoram and other towns of Assam.

Source: The Sangai Express