Youth’s Forum for Protection of Human Rights (YFPHR) along with the Justice Foundation, Kangpokpi have jointly reached out to the villages inhabited across the belt of Thayong- Waithou Chiru Range of Imphal East and held a community interaction on Sustainable Future and Protection of Environment in Manipur on the 23rd of January, 2022.

During the interaction Shadishkanta, Secretary YFPHR, and Saiphu, Secretary, Justice Foundation highlighted the various negative impacts of plantation of Oil Palm citing various examples of the past negative experiences of Indonesia and Malaysia wherein large population of Indigenous People is impacted due to large scale plantation of Oil Palm by the Palm Oil companies and the Government.

It further highlighted that the people of Manipur already are experiencing water scarcity due to climate change and other factors however, the government’s move for the plantation of Oil Palm shocks the people of Manipur as Oil Palm is water thirsty plant that consumes more than 200-250 liters of water per day. This move of the government will have a severe impact on the water sources of Manipur.

The Community Interaction have resolved the following few points:

1. To immediately stop the Oil Palm Plantation in Manipur.

2. To review the Oil Palm Plantation and promote large scale mustard plantation to produce Mustard Oil which is much healthier than Palm Oil.

3. To obtain the free, prior, and informed consent of the people and consult all the citizens of Manipur before any projects are being implemented in Manipur.

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