Safety concerns add to farmers' woes in violence-hit Manipur

Safety concerns have lengthened the list of challenges farmers in Manipur confront during every monsoon, the others being insufficient rains and shortage of fertilisers.

With peace still remaining elusive in the violence-hit Manipur, the state police has asked the farmers not to venture into farming this monsoon without security cover based on reports that armed miscreants are still roaming around in the villages.

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"In the past few days, we have come across incidents where farmers faced safety issues as they did not take security cover while doing farming activities. We have reported such incidents in some villages in Churachandpur, Bishnupur and Kakching districts. So we are making an appeal to our farmers not to venture into farming without security cover. They should inform the local police station seeking security cover for their safety during farming," Inspector General of Police, IK Muivah told reporters in Imphal on Saturday evening.

Muivah said the SPs and district agriculture officers have been asked to coordinate the deployment of security personnel so that the farmers can carry out their farming activities without concerns about their safety.

He said the process has started for the deployment of more than 2,200 security personnel, including Indian Reserve Battalions, Manipur Rifles and police personnel. He said a total of 822 security forces have been deployed in Imphal West district followed by 300 in Churachandpur, 298 in Imphal East, 236 in Bishnupur, 204 in Kakching, 200 in Kangpokpi and 147 in Thoubal districts.

After a meeting headed by Chief Minister N Biren Singh on July 5, it was decided to deploy over 2,000 state security forces after farmers expressed concern about the possibility of attacks by armed miscreants during farming as the monsoon has already set in. Most of those taking shelter in relief camps are farmers but are scared to go to their fields fearing attacks.

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The clashes between the majority Meitei and the Kuki tribe led to the killing of over 120 people and displacements of over 60,000 others, both in the Valley and hill districts, since May 3. Over 40,000 security forces including the Army have remained deployed but sporadic incidents of firing and arson are still being reported.

Sources said the state government has also decided to reduce the number of forces assigned for the security of VIPs in order to deploy them for the safety of the farmers.

It has also been decided to ensure the supply of fertilisers, one of the problems farmers in Manipur confront during paddy cultivation during monsoon almost every year. Manipur reported heavy rains in the past few days with the onset of monsoon.