A public discussion organised by the Solicitous Citizen of Manipur at Kshetri Shanglen, Thoubal district on Friday resolved to stop oil palm plantations in Manipur.
During the one day public discussion under the theme ‘Will Oil Palm Plantation be Sustainable for Manipur?’ it was resolved that there shall be no plantation of oil palm in Manipur without the consent of the people.
It also resolved to promote large-scale plantation of mustard and produce large-scale mustard oil as an alternative to oil palm plantation. It was also resolved that the existing irrigation canals in Manipur must be renovated and make new irrigation canals for double cropping.
Various individuals shared their views against the plantation of oil palm in Manipur during the discussion.
Members of People for Human Rights and Climate Change, Jenison expressed that the steps taken by the state government lack public consent. He said that the approach of the government in a small place like Manipur will have a serious food crisis as oil palm is a water thirsty plant and may dry up the catchment areas which are water sources for the streams and the rivers.
Senior citizen Gopendro expressed that this plantation will destroy large-scale paddy fields and also, they will undermine the rights of Indigenous peoples of Manipur.
President of Young People for Social Reform Laishram Imoba shared that it will be a wise step for the government of Manipur to adopt large-scale mustard oil plantation as an alternative to the plantation of oil palm.
Many other participants shared their views to renovate the irrigation canal and to make new canals and provide non-stop water supply for double cropping in Manipur.
