MAUTAAM

With deep concern, the leaders’ Conference on Combating Famine (attended by 220 Leaders) held at Mualnuam, Thanlon sub-division, Churachandpur District jointly organized by Zomi Economic Planning & Development Agency and Manipur Hills Journalist Union during February 8-9 2008 unanimously declared that Churachandpur District face Famine condition due to successive crop failure triggered by the ill effects of Mautaam (Bamboo Flowering) and natural calamities. The Hon’ble MLA of Thanlon and Singngat, the DC/CCpur and most of the District level officer also participated in the Conference. Besides, the Hon’ble Minister Churachandpur A/C extended financial assistant and commit moral support; the Saikot A/C and the MLAs of Henglep and Tipaimukh A/C commits their support for the cause. The conference makes the following recommendations in the form of demands to combat the disastrous Famine:-

1. The state Government should recognize that Churachandpur District reels under a disastrous famine. In order to systematically address the issue as was done in the case of Mizoram, it should immediately send detail report about the disaster to appropriate authority in the centre Government.

2. The Government’s initiative to provide famine relief through the existing welfare schemes such as NREGS, VGBs, etc. at this hour of crisis are appreciated. Yet such efforts are found to be starkly inadequate considering the magnitude of the calamity. Monitoring mechanism for the effective implementation need to be strengthened.

3. (a). All PDS supply items like rice, sugar, kerosene and wheat earmarked for the district should be fully delivered on regular basis. A firm monitoring network in the PDS supply system is called for.
(b). Lack of motorability in the existing arterial roads within the district is a serious concern. It has slackened transportation of the PDS items and other essential commodities. The state government should execute and entrust black topping of such roads to a reliable agency forthwith.
(c). The state government should immediately defray the outstanding dues and also future transportation cost of PDS items from Sangaiprou FCI godown to PDCs and PDSCs in the district. The present practice of realizing the transportation cost from the poor beneficiaries is blatant exploitation.
(d). The state government should treat all families living in the affected villages of the villages of the district as BPL category for purposes of PDS supply and other such food grain components till the Famine subsides.
(e). The state government should arrange Credit facility of six months for every delivery of PDS items for Churachandpur District till the famine subsides.
(f). The state government should formally propose/recommend to the concern authorities for the construction to 5000 MT capacity FCI godown at Lamka, Churachandpur.

4. Special Economic packages/New Projects/Schemes proposal should be prepared through the DRDA to directly tackle the famine situation.

5. Contributions/Donations from various NGOs, institutions, civil societies and individuals both inland and abroad to help the famine victims are welcome. The distribution of such donations be centralized to ensure equitable distribution among the affected people.

6. Unless immediate remedial measures cited above are taken up by the government on war footing there is a likelihood of large scale public resentment/outrages/unrest for which the blame may be placed upon the state government.

7. (a). Resource Mapping of the district is necessary to introduce land based agrarian reform initiative.
(b). An “Indigenous Popular Initiative” should be actively encouraged to build up sustainable economy among the farmers of the district.

- Organizing Committee
Leaders’ Conference on Combating Famine
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Memorandum Submitted to the Chief Minister, Manipur
by the Zomi Economic Planning and Development Agency & the Manipur Hill Journalist Union for Combating Famine in Churachandpur District, Manipur

Hon’ble Sir,

Your good self may be aware of the successive crop failure in Churachandpur district which caused a disastrous famine. The famine was caused by the ill effects of Mautaam (Bamboo flowering) coupled with weather extremities. The Leaders Conference on Combating Famine was held at Mualnuam Village during February 8-9-2008. The recommendations and demands of the conference titled. “Mualnuam Declaration on Combating Famine” is enclosed. We the undersigned humbly submit the following demands:

1. There is famine in Churachandpur District. ‘We demand that immediate relief in the form of Gratuitous relief. Supplementary nutrition and Agricultural input subsidy should be provided to the affected population.

2. The famine situation in the district is not yet known to the Central Government while Mizoram, which faced similar Mautaam Famine begun receiving famine relief. We demand that the State Government should send detail report about the famine situation in the district to the appropriate authority of the Central Government for systematic redressal.

3. Elected Public Representatives complained that some Underground elements were demanding 30% during lifting of PDS items from the FCS Godown in Sangaiprou, Imphal. We demand that Security should be provided sufficiently at the FCS Godown in Sangaiprou to thwart such attempts.

4. The two Arterial Roads in the district- Tipaimukh road (NH-150) and Guite road (MDR) - are unmotorable in rainy days. Blacktopping of both the Roads would make them motorable year-round. We demand that the black topping of both the roads should be undertaken on top priority by entrusting the works to any reliable Agency.

5. The beneficiaries of PDS supply in Churachandpur district were supplied BPL Rice @ Rs. 10 per kg. in the PDCs/PDSCs against Rs. 6.50 per kg fixed by the Government. Because the transport cost of PDS rice was not paid by the State Government. We demand that the pending transportation bills should be paid by the State Government and also future transportation costs.

6. We demand that all families affected by the Mautaam famine should be placed in the BPL category for purposes of PDS supply till the famine subsides.

7. The people affected by Mautaam famine lack cash and kind to purchase the PDS supply. We demand that all monthly delivery of the PDS items should be allowed credit facility for 6 month each.

8. (a). We demand that the State Govt. should arrange the construction of 5OOOMT capacity FCI Godown at Lamka, Churachandpur.

(b) The provision of Famine relief through the existing centrally sponsored schemes will be starkly in adequate. It is, therefore demanded that new Project proposals be made through DRDA to effectively counter the famine and its probable recurrence.

Unless immediate remedial measures cited above are taken up by the Government on a war footing, there is the likelihood of large scale public resentment/outrage/ unrest for which the blame may be placed upon the State Government. Hence, this charter of demand.

Yours faithfully

Sd/-
(P. Khupsuanmung)
Working Chairman
ZEPADA

Sd/-
(L. Chinkhanlian) President, MHJU

Copy for information and necessary action to:
1. All Hon’ble Minister/MLAs, Churachandpur District
2. Hon’ble Minister (FCS)
3. Hon’ble Chairman, HAC
4. All MPs from Manipur
5. The Editor, for kind publication.
6. G/File

Sd/-
(K. Vungzamawi)

Secretary, ZEPADA

Sd/-
(F. Zohmingliana)

Secretary, MHJU

Dated: Lamka
The 12th Feb., 2008

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Paper presented in the
“LEADERS’ CONFERENCE ON COMBATING FAMINE”
At Mualnuam Village, Thanlon Sub-Division, Churachandpur District
By ZEPADA, DELHI WORKING GROUP
on January 28-29, 2008.

PART-I: THE PROBLEM
The dependence of most Villages in the hills of Churachandpur District solely upon jhumming cultivation of rice has been fraught with the risk of food scarcity. The onset of ominous Mautaam since 2007 coupled with adverse weather vagaries have caused a very sharp decline in crop production. In 2008 AD, we confront a disastrous famine.
2. The following governmental measures are available to a State reeling under disaster condition:

REMEDIAL STEPS
i) State Government (Home Department) to report the problem to the MHA (NDM Division) Govt. of India

ii) MHA to send Study Team & receive the report

iii) High Level Committee in the MHA to examine and recommend actions.

iv) Concern Ministries etc to act/follow up according)
—
ACTION BY MANIPUR GOVT.  ON THE ABOVE STEPS

i). Not yet reported.
ii). Dependent on report by State Government.
iii). Not yet applicable.
iv). Not yet applicable.
—
Mizoram also faces Mautaam famine similar to Churachandpur District. They have anticipated the same 3 - 4 years ago and the State Government formally took up the issue with the Central Government. The Centre extends sufficient assistance to meet their basic needs. The Union Minister for Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution told the ZEPADA, Delhi Working Group on January 8, 2008 at New Delhi that he is willing to extend similar assistance to Churachandpur District.

3. All of us are aware of the existing Governmental Welfare schemes in the district, such as:
(i). PDS supplies of rice etc through FCS Department. However no FCI Godown is expected in Lamka till 2012.
(ii). Village Grain Banks already opened in 25 villages of 3 Sub-Divisions in Churachandpur District. But no proposal for further addition.
(iii). Schemes under DRDA with Wage plus Food Component.

4. In addition a few individuals and organizations have expressed willingness to contribute to famine relief/aid.

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Paper presented by
ZEPADA, DELHI WORKING GROUP
on JANUARY 28-29, 2008.

PART-II: THE SOLUTION
The situation calls for proactive responses to provide the basic human needs. It is therefore imperative to immediately begin the following remedial measures:
i). The State Government should send a report to the Central Government.

ii). Public Distribution System & Village Grain Banks should be made fully functional, their distribution streamlined and monitored properly.

iii). The schemes under District Rural Development Agency should be implemented in letter and spirit and customized to meet the famine condition.

iv). New project proposals should be prepared in the DRDA to directly tackle the famine situation.

v). The distribution of NGO relief fund/materials should be centralized to ensure equitable distribution.

2. The evolvement and improvement of agrarian reform initiatives among the village farmers in Churachandpur District is the need of the day. The conventional assistance enjoyed by our people from Government/Financial Institutions/Sponsors for economic activities should concurrently be utilized to promote “indigenous popular initiatives” towards self-sufficiency. The continued existence of our villages as viable social units will depend on our ability to evolve land based Agrarian reform initiatives. A comprehensive action plan is needed to suitably reward the sweats of farmers tilling those fertile and productive landscapes of the district to develop a sound economy. It is the challenge to be met, and to succeed against all odds.

Mautaam.org saitu heutu zah om takte, Chibai,
Anuai ah theih ut tamlou ka nei a, na hon hilh uh kon ngen hi.

1. Hiai mautam kial dou nang toh kisai a sum kithohte bang chihta or bangchi hawm sawm?
2. Asaitu tam zaw delhi tual a om, ahihleh kua toh sem khawm a, a kial leh poimoh diakte identify a panpih di?
3. Bangchi leh mi tam zaw in awlmohna toh hon thoh thei ding, panlak theih dan omlou hia?
4. Officer lian taktak hun khop delhi leh mun tuamtuam ah om, banah, lamka zang ah mi hausa ahun kuam om, huaiten thei kha vet

lou adi uam? Amaute motivate theihdan a om diam?
5. What is our plan of action? sum tawm lolai chi ihi uhia or i unaute uh kial tatak naikei uh chi ihia?
6. Ahihkeh, ka theih khak louh a, apoimohte ana kipanpih khinta hia le?
7. Hiai a sum ki thoh khawmte paisa san khat lel le a thelthang hetlouh deih huai ka sa, agilkial diak ten amuh khak teitei di ua sai

teitei ding hoih ka sa.

***Atawm leh tam chih hilou in kenle bangzah hiam thoh dia mansa ka hi, ka veina sawt mahmah ahi.

Atung a dotna kon bawlte dawnna ka na lamen hi.

Nam leh Gam adia naseppih uh,

Major Thangson Shoute
8RR (MADRAS)
PIN-934508
C/o 56 APO
Mob: 9419216079.

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Dear Thangson Shoute,

Mautaam panpihna sumthoh lam a na lunglutna phathuai akisa mahmah a,na deihna bangin,na mail a nuai a bang in ka hon dawng hi.

1.Mautaam panpihna tutan a sum kithoh te, tu February kha sung a,a tangkha dia kilawm telkhiak a tam theipen te kiang a hawm

khiak ahi ding.
2. Panpihna tangtak te inlam a mimuanhuai, H.Pauchinlian makaih nain, saptuamleh NGO khenkhat panpihna toh, atam theipen

zonkhiak ahi.
3-4)Free will offering petmah ahihziakin,web site a chialna a kikoih nung,pushing kuamah kiang ah a kibawl kei, bawl leng a kitum

kei.Mi lak a thil ka hihhoih chi a,kiphatna ding lam ngimna leng ahi kei.A thoh utte a kipaktak a sang chih ahi mai.
5-6)Thohlawm om zahzah kipahpih ahi a, akal lak teng a a tamtheipen phattuamna dia hawm khiak zel ding chih ahi.
7)A ki hawmkhiakna,sum omte kizatna public theih din,web ah hong kitaklang ding hi.

Na awlmoh pih,
Mautaam.org min in,
L.T.Ngaihte

———————

Dear Pa Kam,
Ka ngetna bang in thu omdan na hon theisak a ka kipak mahmah hi.
Kithuzak tuah jeljel ni maw.
Pathian in honkem chiat hen.

Warm Regards,
Maj T Shoute.

———————

Dear Pa Kam,

Zanlam a kagen bang in ka hihtheih tamlou chik in kong pang hi, ie, Rs.1000/- only. Tawmchik himah leh kua hiam gilkialna khatvei

nih vei beek aneem khak leh chihna toh ahi.

Damleh, March last week or Apr in innlam va pai ka sawm a huai chiah H Pauchinlian leh adg adg te ka va mu dia, hihtheih beh om

hiam ka va ne khe ding hi.

Ka kipak,
Imi leh sate itna toh,
Major T Shoute

LAMKA, Feb 15: As the much publicised famine caused by bamboo flowering hits certain remote villages of Churachandpur district every organisation and the government have been found doing their bit to give relief to the people currently  affected by it.

What has been the ground reality and areas affected by  the faimne could be ascertaiined from the DC’s report, a copy of which was given to press reporters. According to the report in Thanlon subdivision out of 61 villages atleast 39 are hit hard by the famine with 2597.51 hectares fully affected and another 1862.960 hectares partially affected.

The number of households affected by the faimne counts to 2393 with an estimated 8461 adults and 5655 minors now in dire straits due to the phenomenon.

In the subdivision of Henglep out of 150 villages 32 are severely affected and 750 hectares are severely affected by the famine.

The affected haouseholds number runs to 1507 and 6934 adults and another 2181 numbers of adults are rendered helpless by the famine.

Tipaimukh sub division which is supposed to be the worst hit area has a  total number of 54 villages out of which 43 have been recorded as being affected severely.

There are 2393 fully affected hectares with 4786 households and a whopping 13227 number of minors.
However, Singngat has the least number of 18 villages affected by famine out of 92.
75 hectares are fully affected by faimine and 660 partially.
854  households are affected and another 1295 numbers of adult and 1341 minors are affected by the faimine.

The report said gratuitious relief admissible as per the existing norms are 36095x@Rs 20 x 90 days = Rs 649.71 lakhs in case of adults while for the minors it is 22404 x@ Rs 15 x 90 days =Rs 302.454 lakhs.

For supplementary nutrition it is 58499x Rs. 2 x 60 days = Rs 70.90 lakhs and for agricultural input subsidy it is 8338.27 x Rs. 2000 = 166.7654 lakhs thus making the admissible relief as per provisional assessment coming up to Rs. 1189.8294 lakhs in grand total.

Though the authorisation has not reached the DC Churachandpur Sumant Singh IAS has urged the chief minister of the state to ensure grant of 8000 quintals rice grant per month in addition to the existing monthly quota of PDS rice.

He also urged the chief minister for making the transportation to be done by FCS department upto Thanlon, Parbung, Singngat and Henglep.

Urging the chief minister to immediately authorise all the BDOs/ DC to procire rice from the wage components of NREGS in affected areas, he solicited the chief minister to ensure immediate lifting of rice from the available stocks as hardly one month is left before the onset of monsoon.

Source: Imphal free press

Source: The Sangai Express / S Sanglianmang Guite

Lamka, February 16: At a time when the Mautaam affected populace are starving and the local as well as the State media has highlighted their very plight, the State Govt is yet to realize any of the promises the State Cabinet has decided upon.

With merely a month left for the arrival of monsoon, the state cabinet’s pledge to obtain additional quota of rice and stocking of adequate food grains for atleast five months now lies at stake as the meager promises or measures made by the Cabinet were yet to deliver even to this day.

Based upon the 2007 survey report of BDOs and other Government agencies, the Deputy Commissioner Sumant Singh has highlighted before the state cabinet that atleast 5000 MT of rice would be needed by the district in order to counteract the Mautaam devastation, but the number has now increased, and the needed grains amplified as the deputy commissioner had personally toured parts of the affected region.

The needed allocation has now stands at 8000 MT with the affected populace increasing by the day.

During his spot survey, the Commissioner had time and again assured the villagers that the famine they have bumped upon could be counter with NREGS, however Singh and his BDOs still lying in the dark on authorization of procuring rice from wage component of the scheme, even his adept promises were at stake.

Besides, the FCS deptt.

offer of transporting the relief quota of rice only to the identified PDCs and not upto the sub-divisional hqtrs and the failure to transport any of the rice that has been promise by the cabinet has added to the stake.

Unless the Government has practically realize its promises before the onset of monsoon, the remarks made by some prominent officials who had accompanied the commissioner on the probability of fatalities out of starvation would definitely stands tall.

Meanwhile, Churachandpur District Students’ Union has issued a public appeal in regards to Mautaam Famine today and calls for maximum co-operation to the DC and SDOs or BDOs so that the officers themselves could give extra effort and ensure that all benefits goes to the deserving persons without any deduction.

‘No diversion of funds or percentage cut be made on the share of the villagers,’ says the appeal that also highlight the extreme lack of infrastructural lack of developments particularly on roads, electricity, medical facilities, water supply and calls for a complete revamp of the Public Distribution System.

At the Leaders’ Conference on Combating Famine the resolutions adapted by ZEPADA and MHJU has call upon the State Government to immediate arrange relief in the form of Gratuitous relief, Supplementary nutrition and Agricultural input.

‘The famine situation in the district is not yet known to the Central Government while Mizoram, which faced similar Mautam Famine begun receiving famine relief,’ reads the resolution that was submitted to the Chief Minister O Ibobi Singh.

It also claimed that BPL Rice was sold at the rate of Rs.10 per kg.

in the PDCs/PDSCs againt Rs.6.50 per kg fixed by the Government; because the transport cost of PDS rice was not paid by the State Government.

The resolution also stress on the need to black topped the two arterial roads of the district as they were unmotorable during the rainy season and the to institute 5000MT capacity FCI Godown at Lamka.

‘The provision of Famine relief through the existing centrally sponsored schemes will be starkly in adequate.

It is, therefore demanded that new Project proposals be made through DRDA to effectively counter the famine and its probable recurrence’ says the concluding provisions of the resolution.

Rupees 1189.8294 lakhs is what the district administration has initially projected for countering the famine menace, but the Leaders’ resolution has term them as starkly inadequate.

And with the district administration augmenting its postulation every passing day, the required amount needs augmentation.

Immediate and random relief if the only chances that could only stand against the stake.

SOS to all, hunger pangs strike CCpur district

First hand account of the starving villagers

Local News [February 12 2008]                           By Our Staff Reporter

THANLON, Feb. 11: The apprehension of a famine has become a harsh reality today in the four sub-divisions of Tipaimukh, Thanlon, Henglep and Singat in Churachandpur district. With most of the villagers reeling under the harsh reality, sending children to schools has become a non-affordable task for a great number of families.
While the victims of the natural bamboo flowering phenomenon are wistfully looking up to the Government for some concrete measures to tide over their misfortune, many opined that in case the State Government and relevant authorities fail to take up relief and famine control measures immediately, the crisis may deepen and ultimately lead to a major human disaster.

Even as a team of district officials led by Deputy Commissioner of Churachandpur district Sumant Singh has conducted a spot assessment of the villages affected by bamboo flowering across the district, the woes of the famine victims have been exacerbating with each passing day as their meagre food stock is fast running out.
Meanwhile, DC Sumant Singh has called upon the villagers to combat the natural calamity with the help of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS).

Contrary to the claims of the Government that several rodent control measures have been initiated, an exclusive survey by The Sangai Express has found that there is no sign of any such measure to prevent starvation of the people. During an extensive tour by this reporter across several villages in Churachandpur district it was found that many families are subsisting on boiled Paan and Hah while many other families have to forgo either lunch or dinner every day. After hailstorm had destroyed large fields of paddy plants in the four sub-divisions in September last year, the sudden spurt in rodent population following the bamboo flowering phenomena caused havoc to standing crops which were then ready for harvesting. The plight of the villagers whose main source of staple food comes from jhum cultivation was again aggravated when a large number of wild pigs started feeding on the paddy plants. Due to all these repeated devastations, the villagers could reap just a small fraction of their normal annual harvest.

Of the total 54 villages in Tipaimukh sub-division, 43 have been hit by famine affecting 32,532 people directly. Against the total 51 villages in Thanlon sub-division, 14,115 people of 39 villages are under the grip of the starvation. In Henglep sub-division, 32 villages out of 150 have been affected throwing 9115 people into the indignity of starvation. Out of total 92 villages in Singhat sub-division, 2536 people of 18 villages are also enduring the harsh reality of famine.

DC Sumant Singh observed that the number of villages and people affected by the natural calamity will increase in the days to come. On the other hand, of the total agricultural produces of Churachandpur district, rice constituted 57 percent in 2003. But this was reduced to just 15 percent in 2007. Taking into account the sharp decline in food grain production in Churachandpur district and the fall in annual rice harvest in the four sub-divisions by 85 percent, the district requires an additional 45,328 metric tonnes of rice, said a source in the District Agricultural Office.

In the course of the investigation undertaken by The Sangai Express, it was discovered that rice was not available in all the shops except those opened in sub-divisional headquarters and at a few isolated places across the four sub-divisions. In some villages, the BPL rice which cost Rs 6.10 per kg at Government rate was found to be sold at Rs 10 per kg. The demand for immediate provision of rice was a common and frantic cry of all the villagers. A house to house survey found that some families had just 5 kgs and some others 20 kgs to last the whole season. No one visiting these villages could ignore the weary eyes of the hapless villagers reflecting the fear and indignity of starvation. A large number of families with their annual harvest already exhausted, were found subsisting on Paan and Hah.

Interacting with this reporter, 40 year old Dongkhuwal of Mualnuam village located along Guite road lamented that from one tin and a half of rice he sowed last year, he could harvest just one tin of rice after the paddy fields were devastated by rodents. He is living on the little money he got from offering his service to lift/carry timber, disclosed Dongkhuwal. “I often substitute my meal with boiled Paan. Even though I can earn a few rupees, I cannot have rice for the grain is not available in the village,” he conveyed. Following the bamboo flowering, the Government provided some chemicals to kill rats to just three individuals of the village. Questioning whether such measures can fight the rodent menace, Dongkhuwal asserted that he could not observe any step claimed to have been taken up by the Government to fight the natural phenomenon. Nevertheless, he acknowledged that he received 20 kgs of rice under Public Distribution System twice.
For the villagers living more than 150 kms away from Churachandpur Bazar where there is no regular transport system except for a few trucks on rare occasions, they have to spend at least Rs 300 on travel fare just to buy 10 kgs of rice from the district headquarters.

One Thangkhasuam (25) of Laijangphai village located along Churachandpur-Tipaimukh road said that he has been living with his mother and a younger brother. Last year, his younger brother was sent to Thanlon for his education. But this year, with famine staring at their faces, the family is unable to afford the school fees and as a result the younger brother has dropped out. Many of the villagers also expressed their strong desire for the Government to take up certain pragmatic long term measures so that the villagers can have some sources of income from cultivating ginger, banana, broom plants, chillies, etc. which are grown abundantly in their villages. Marketing the produce is important, they stressed.

Meanwhile, a team of district officials including DC Sumant Singh, SP S Manglemjao, 3rd IRB CO P Dhiren and CDSU members conducted spot assessment visiting the famine hit villages from February 8 to 10. After assessing the affected villages, the DC reportedly asked the villagers to combat the natural calamity under with NREGS. At all the villages, the official team led by the DC was greeted by the cries for free distribution of rice. During his random enquiry in some families, the DC was shown 10/20 kgs of rice saying that it was all they had.
To make up for the food grain scarcity in the villages, the State Government has planned to provide 50 kgs of rice per month to each household, declared Sumant Singh.

Under the Government’s plan, 50 percent of the wages entitled to villagers under the NREGS will be deducted by the village authorities and submitted to the Government. The Government will buy rice with the money deducted from the wages of the labourers and the same will be distributed to the famine affected villagers, explained the DC.

Observing that the famine may become more disastrous if the Government fails to take up necessary actions immediately, the DC also appealed to all civil organisations for generous help to the famine victims. The State Government has already established 25 village grain banks in 25 villages of Churachandpur district.