IMPHAL, August 1: The Irabot Foundation Manipur today organized a one day convention on Protection of Agricultural Land in Manipur at Manipur Dramatic Union, Yaiskul Police lane, Imphal at 9:15 am.
Thounaojam Iboyaima, president of Irabot Foundation Manipur presided over the inaugural function while RK Ranendrajit, former editor of The Freedom attended as the chief guest and Heikrujam Ibotombi Khuman, advisor of IPSA as guest of honour.
The general secretary of Irabot Foundation Manipur, Sengoi Luwang has presented the key note address which is also circulated in the gathering.
Heikrujam Ibotombi Khuman said that the convention on the protection of agricultural land in Manipur is a timely effort towards fulfilling the unfinished agenda of Hijam Irabot’s campaign for the welfare of the peasants.
He further lamented the present work culture of the people and said there are not many fields where double cropping are practiced and most fields remain unused until the next season for paddy comes along.
RK Ranendrajit expressed his pleasures to the organizers for organising the convention in accordance with the time schedule printed in the invitation card which is, he commented, a rarity in Manipur in the last many years.
For the last forty years, he said, there agricultural activity in the state has been decreasing mostly owing to the imbalance between the cost of farming and the cost of the produce.
He further said that the Govt of Manipur lacks futuristic vision on land use policy while citing the construction of the Langol game village in arable land area which could have been better if it were build on the hill slopes a little distance from the present location.
He further delved deeper in the issue of land use saying that Govt of India is observing every year Kargil War Memorial adding that Kargil is an unpopulated territorial space of the Indian Union in the state of Kashmir bordering China whereas the same Govt of India is now ready to give a portion of arable land of Manipur at Moreh to Myanmar.
The difference in the thinking has made the people of Manipur to ponder on a lot, he said.
He further said that there is big gap between ground reality at the field and various program of the govt agencies owing to insincerity of the govt officials in the implementation of program in providing agricultural inputs both in knowledge and materials.
After the inaugural function, two academic sessions of the convention were held with Prof E Bijoykumar Singh, Dean School of Social Sciences, Manipur University moderating both the sessions.
Dr RK Ranjan, Director College Development Council, Manipur University spoke on the topic, “Protection of land Use and Its Impact on Environment, as a resource person” in the morning session while another resource person, Dr Moirangthem Manimohon Singh also spoke on the topic, “Demographic Profile in Manipur” in the same session.
In the evening session, Dr Kh Ibohal Singh, Associate Professor, Central Agriculture University deliberated on Market Policy vs Farmers.