GUWAHATI: As taken place during the ploughing and sowing paddy seeds at vulnerable fields in violence-hit Manipur, harvesting of the same started at Imphal West district’s Sangaitjhel area on Saturday (October 21) under adequate security cover, an unprecedented farming trend in the state.
A picturesque Sangaithel, which borders Kuki villages in Kangpokpi district bordering Imphal West district, saw frequent incidents of shooting in the continuing ethnic clashes that unfolded in Manipur on May 3 this year.
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Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh said, “Pleased to learn that the harvesting of rice crops is continuing at Sangaithel Maning Loukol under full security protection of Patsoi PS teams, Sangaithel OP teams, C-71 CRPF, 5/9-GR and 5MR/SDRF.”
“The people have expressed their happiness with the teams and I truly appreciate the security forces for executing their jobs and ensuring a sense of security among the farmers,” Manipur CM Biren Singh added.
Farmers and villagers of Sangaithel expressed their gratitude to the security personnel for safeguarding the harvesting activities.
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L Bimol Meitei, president of Sangaithel youth sporting club said they were worrying about what would happen during harvest, but now they felt safe as they are fully protected by the security personnel.
“All our doubts have been erased by the presence of the security personnel, who protected us, we are so happy today. We also request the forces to protect the farmers at other paddy fields at Sangaithel,” said Th Ibopishak, a farmer.
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The same trend of guarding the farmers during harvest will follow suit at other areas as some farmers said they were assured of being protected by the security personnel.
To streamline effective agricultural activities across Manipur during the unceasing ethnic conflict, the state government had in July reserved over 1900 state and central security personnel for guarding the farmers in the paddy fields in five affected districts of the state.
This followed after representatives of five farmer bodies of the state met the CM Biren Singh and urged him to provide security to the farmers on the plea that they were unable to move to the paddy fields owing to the constant attacks by suspected militants.
The Manipur government’s step, however, drew mixed response as some farmers expressed dissatisfaction over ineffective deployment of the forces even as the police advised the farmers not to venture out to the paddy fields without giving prior information to the concerned Superintendent of Police (SP).
At other vulnerable areas, security personnel were seen guarding the farmers at the paddy fields, mostly located close to foothills abutting Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi and Churachandpur districts of Manipur.
On the other hand, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has recently approved the release of Rs 38.06 crore as crop compensation package to the farmers affected by the ongoing violence. The compensation package would cover 5127.08 hectares of severely affected agricultural areas in eight districts of Manipur, both in the valley and the hills.