Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) on Thursday expressed concerns over targets on water sources and bodies during the ongoing conflict in Manipur and alleged that water sources have been a target since the beginning of the violence.
YFPHR president T Sadishkanta, in a release, decried the alleged intentional contamination of Makha Loukhong due to oil spillage said to be originated from Leimakhong thereby affecting the streams that passes through Chingmang, Kanto Sabal, Kanto, Khurkhul villages etc in Imphal West District. It also called for immediate investigation into the incident.
It mentioned that a similar incident was witnessed in Bishnupur district earlier wherein water pipelines from Lophal village, which supplied water at Thamnapokpi village, Naransena, Phubala etc. were allegedly destroyed by kuki militants at S Phainom village.
It also claimed that Kuki militants allegedly cut the water supply pipeline under jurisdiction of the Leimakhong Army Camp, disrupting water supply for the last eight months with no efforts from either the Army and the state government to restore the same despite repeated appeals.
It expressed unhappiness that Makha Loukhong, which is the only water stream, was polluted with the oil and asserted that it is a clear violation of various International law and protocol such as Geneva Convention. The pollution of water bodies is a threat to human settlement and needs stringent action and immediate intervention of the authorities concerned, it maintained.
It further drew the attention of the Ministry of Home Affairs towards the issue, all the while urging to immediately withdraw the SoO pact with the Kuki militants. It also appealed to the Water Resource Department to find alternative water sources and restore the water crisis in the area at the earliest.
Meanwhile, the Centre for Research and Advocacy, Manipur (CRA) also expressed unhappiness and concern over the discharge of toxic heavy fuel from the Leimakhong Power Plant.
CRA, in a release, said that the massive discharge of the heavy fuel has led to contamination of Khanglapokpi Khong or the Makha Khong stream, which is the source of water for villagers of Kanto Sabal, Leimakhong, Khurkhul, Loitang Khunou villages etc in Imphal West District, Manipur. It asserted that the oil spill has the potential to contaminate the Nambul River, where the stream joins further downstream.
The incident took place despite stringent security measures and existence of military base close to the power plant, it claimed while lamenting that the same has led to deposition of hazardous chemicals and other toxic chemical sludge not only in the stream but also in the agriculture land in Khurkhul village, where the water is diverted as temporary measures.
It highlighted the human health implications of oil spill and stressed the need for adequate measures and precautions. It further urged the state government to initiate measures to mitigate the environmental and social impacts of the toxic heavy fuel discharge in the stream and in agricultural land in Kanto Sabal and Phumlou villages.
It also appealed to urgently conduct an investigation to ascertain the causes and reasons of the heavy fuel discharge and demanded to prosecute and punish all those involved for any sabotage and deliberate destruction of the plant and security lapses etc.
