IMPHAL, May 12 – With the arrival of intermittent seasonal rains since May 3, the drying waterbodies in Manipur, mainly the rivers and ponds, etc, have started filling up besides providing relief to the people reeling under the scorching heat. The farmers have also heaved sighs of relief as the dry paddy fields were worrying them.
Most of the Imphal streets have started to face water logging since the last few days due to the unplanned growth and city infrastructure expansions. Imphalites, who had been facing an acute shortage of water, are now trying to harvest every drop of rain in their courtyards.
Since May 3 the State has recorded a total rainfall of around 30.3 mm, according to weather reports released by the State Directorate of Environment. The highest rainfall was recorded on May 8 (12.62 mm) with Imphal West and Tamenglong districts emerging the rainiest districts among the State’s nine districts. Manipur had been experiencing a dry weather spell since November last year.
Reports from other parts of the State particularly from Tamenglong district headquarters, said, the intermittent rains and thunderbolts have disturbed the normal life in the hill town. “One amusing fact about Tamenglong is that whenever heavy rains come electricity goes away”, said a resident of Tamenglong. The hill town has been cut off from electricity supply since Saturday.
The situation has worsened after the Joint Forum for Transport Welfare, Tamenglong intensified their indefinite Chakka Bandh on Imphal-Jiribam route (NH- 37) with the State Government failing to give a positive response to the demands of the public for improving the condition of Tamenglong-Khongsang road. The Forum has been demanding that the developmental work of the Tamenglong-Khongsang road should be taken up by BRTF only and no other agencies.
Forum secretary DM Joseph warned that the intensification of the agitation would include forced closure of all government offices, commercial activities and prevention of officials from attending their offices.
The indefinite Chakka Bandh which began on May 7 has badly affected the life of the people in the district with all inter-State bus and Sumo passenger services remaining remaining suspended. Construction work on the railway tunnel has also been reportedly affected.