IMPHAL | Dec 19 : Expressing vehement condemnations against the burning of stacks of unthreshed rice straws which are kept for threshing, at several areas of Manipur, the proscribed United National Liberation Front (UNLF) said the organisation will hand out punishments to those who are guilty.
A release signed by director, department of publicity, Sakhen said some of the incidents where rice stacks have been torched are Laisram Samananda and Takhellambam Athouba’s rice straws at Keinou Thanga under Bishnupur district on November 17, rice straw stacks from one hectare of rice field belonging to Jacob Hmangte at Saikul Hill Twon Loukol under Senapati district on November 23, Rice straw stacks made of Three “Lou sangam” (27225 sq. ft. x 3) of rice fields belonging to Pukhrambam Khomei Devi and one “Lou sangam” (27225 sq. ft. x 1) belonging to Michael Kamei at Loktak Project Santipur Lampat Loukol under Bishnupur district on November 24, another rice straw stacks made of “Lou sangam” (27225 sq. ft. x 1) belonging to Sapam Jitendra was set ablaze at Bashikhong Kaijipat Loukol under Okram Chuthek on November 29, and recently on the early morning of December 17 at Khumbong Maning Sagol Tongba Makha Leikai where rice straw stacks made of three “Lou Sangam” belonging to Sinam Bijoy was burned down.
It takes seven to eight months for a farmer to start farming and harvesting to produce rice for a year and it is also his main source of income, it said. The routine acts of burning down these piled stacks of rice straws by unknown miscreants is suspected of being carried out deliberately in an organised manner, the release continued.
This has been committed against the farmers’ community, and it not only harms the owners but causes a lot of inconveniences to all the people of the State, it added. This has been committed with the purpose of reducing the productivity of the State, the release further said. The group who is responsible for burning down the stacks are against humanity, it continued. The people of Manipur vehemently condemn the acts and the organisation appeals the people to help find out the unknown miscreants, the release further said. The guilty party will be punished, it added.
Source: Imphal Free Press
