The government of Manipur banning locally made boats in the state, villagers who rely on them for their daily sustenance are caught between the devil and deep sea, with the government decision created a human crisis for the villagers of Ramrei, a village under Kamjon district.
Lelen Vaiphei
Following the government of Manipur banning locally made boats in the state, villagers who rely on them for their daily sustenance are caught between the devil and deep sea, with the government decision created a humanitarian crisis for the villagers of Ramrei, a village under Kamjon district. The decision to ban the local boats came after the recent ‘boat capsizing’ incident that killed three picnickers in the same water that the villagers of Ramrei have to ferry their daily needs from across.
The village chief of Ramrei, Shimdhar Zimik said that they might have to resort to agitations if their plight is not looked into by the administration. “Following the ban of local boats, the villagers are unable to go fishing or collect eatables and firewood from the other side,” said the villager chief.
There were at least 21 local boats used as an essential means of transport for the villagers living around the water body created by the multi-purpose dam. After the tragic incident of 28 April, there has been a drastic decline in the number of picnickers visiting the spot. Meanwhile, the government has remained silent after banning the use of local boats and has not taken up any positive step to mitigate the plight of the villagers affected by the ban. This is despite the government hinting provision of authorized boats costing around Rs 7 lakh, at a subsidized rate.
After Thoubal Dam was opened recently for searching the drowned bodies, the water level in the reservoir decreases causing the land surface to be moist and damped, causing the area to sink foul creating a fear of epidemic among the people. More than 10 children had already suffered from fever and diarrhoea in the month of May.
Thoubal Multipurpose Project construction led to the submerging of many surrounding villages displacing hundreds of villagers. Years after the construction, villagers of Ramrei, with all their agricultural fields submerged by the water have just started living out of the income generated from the water body becoming a hot panic spot.
Ramrei village is populated by around 600 people of around 130 households.
