Arson or wildfire, no answer yet...Inferno ravages Keibul Lamjao

IMPHAL, Feb 22 : The only natural habitat of the rare Sangai (Brow Antlered deer), Keibul Lamjao National Park was ravaged by fire today.According to the people of Keibul Lamjao Chingmei, the inferno broke out early morning today.The origin of fire which spread to a large area of the Park, however could not be ascertained till the time of filing this report.On receiving information of the fire, a team of media persons rushed to the Park at about 4.30 pm. On reaching the Park, the fire was seen burning extensively at Nongmaikhong, Ngakha Pat, Haorang side of the Park and Toya hills.On being observed from the watch tower installed at the southern side of Keibul Lamjao Tourist Home, it appeared that almost three quarters of the National Park covering about 40 sq kms have been ravaged by the fire. In addition to being the only floating park and the lone natural habitat of rare and endangered species of deer, Sangai, in India Keibul Lamjao National Park is also a source of food (vegetables) for the surrounding villages. At about 5.30 pm, Sangais were seen running beyond the fire lines made by Forest Department from the watch towers. According to some women of Keibul Chingmei who went to Keibul Lamjao National Park to pluck/collect vegetable items today at about 11 am as usual, the fire was seen already spreading over an extensive area.They said that they sometimes saw fire in the Park but today’s fire was most ferocious and the most extensive in recent times.As the reporters were watching the fire on the last tower, several rounds of gun shots were heard. After retreating from the Park, the media team interacted with villagers of Keibul Lamjao Chingmei. The villagers said that gun shots might have been fired by the Army. Even as an extensive area of the Park was ravaged by the fire, no responsible official of Forest Department came to assess the damage till late evening.Nevertheless, officials of the Department stationed at the Park moved in to control the fire though it went in vain. One boatman of Forest Department, L Saratchandra said that reports of the fire was received at about 11 am.At about 12 noon, a team of five led by Forest Guard N Manimohon moved to the direction of Thangbaral Yanbi as another team led by Beat officer S Sonamani moved from the direction of Chingmei Nachan to control the fire.But they retreated unable to control the ravaging fire. Notably, they did not take any equipment necessary for fighting fire. Although they should have informed Fire Brigade, they did not do so as Moirang Fire station exists just for name’s sake, L Saratchandra said.After the two came out unable to control the fire, the Forest Ranger was informed about the fire, N Manimohon conveyed.However, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest S Singsit said that a team of Forest Department officials including District Forest Officer and Rangers have rushed to the park to assess the damage.Saying that they have not received any report of Sangai dying in the fire, S Singsit said that details of the incident would be known only after the official team submit their reports. Incidentally, an official team of Wildlife Institute of India has been conducting a survey at the Park at present.

My City, My Life, Absence of civic sense defaces Imphal

Wastes and garbage littered in Imphal by its citizens

IMPHAL, Feb 15 : Success or failure of the efforts to make Imphal a clean and healthy city will certainly depend on citizens under- standing their duties and responsibilities. But this may not be enough. The Government too need to take up more concerted efforts. Although, the Imphal Municipal Council used to pick up garbage in Imphal Municipal Areas including the city circle, the same work has been entrusted to four NGOs sometime back. The Workers Union Manipur is looking after the wastes and garbage picking work in Khwairamband Keithel (ward no 25) and areas under ward numbers 4, 21, 22, 23 and 26.After the garbage picking work was taken over by NGOs from the Imphal Municipal Council, there has been noticeable improvement in the appearance of Imphal city. Earlier, Imphal city bore a horrible look with filth, waste material and garbage clogging every drain and being piled up on very streets and corners. But the efforts of the Workers Union to make Imphal city free from any wastes and garbage are often negated by lack of civic sense on the part of citizens and women vendors. It is often a common sight at Paona bazar, Thangal Bazar, BT Road and other parts of Imphal, people littering and throwing garbage at improper places. If one observes, one would see people spitting on busy market places without looking if any one coming behind or beside him/her. People pissing at improper places is also no rare sight. It remains a daily sight for people to smoke in busy BT road inspite of the countrywide ban on smoking in public places. Many people are also seen throwing away wrappers and empty packets of snack items and other packaged eatables in the middle of busy roads. It seems most people don’t have the habit to dispose garbage and other waste materials in dust bins. As such, many people still need awareness program-mes on using dust bins. Another despicable sight is many people spitting out betel liquid in every corner of public places including RIMS and JN Hospital.Incidentally, there were instances when security personnel pulled up some insensitive people for spitting out betel liquid in public institutes. Interestingly, there is no case of any one spitting out betel liquids or smoking in Chamber of Commerce Medical Care and Research Centre, Leirik Memorial Charitable hospital, Raj Polyclinic, Maipakpi Maternity and Child Hospital and other private hospitals located in and around Imphal city.Wastes materials and garbage littered by women vendors of Khwairamband Keithel are cleansed and picked up volunteers of the Workers Union Manipur on daily basis. Most of the women vendors don’t seem to have any thought to put together their garbage and waste materials in a container like polythene bag so that it can be collected by the volunteers without littering.Another source of dirtying and contaminating Imphal city is the small rice hotels run by vendors without licence inside Khwai- ramband Keithels. A large majority of these hotels used to throw away wastes materials on the side of the road located in front of Family Welfare Office.They never bother to put their waste materials in the garbage pick-up truck kept parked just beside the BT Flyover.Although it can be safely assumed that the women running rice hotels would be keeping their home neat and clean, these women are acting as if they don’t have any clue to keep Imphal city clean and healthy.It is the same case along Nagamapal road, near Uri-pok Cheirap Court along BT Flyover and women vendors at these places too harbour the same attitude. One woman dealing betel inside Khwairamband Kei- thel observed that Khwai-ramband Keithels have be- come a lot cleaner since Workers Union Manipur took over the garbage picking work.However, most of the women vendors seem to be lacking in civic sense and understanding, she noted. Some of these women are reluctant to donate a single rupee when volunteers of Workers Union Manipur come for donation once in a month, she said.Talking to The Sangai Express, general secretary of the Workers Union Ma-nipur L Joykumar explained that as per the agreement signed with the Government, monthly charge of Rs 100 hundred should be levied from every consumer if it is commercial area. If it is non-commercial area, the monthly charge should be Rs 50. For hospitals, godowns, grocery shops and Government offices, the monthly charge for garbage picking work should be levied according to the volume of wastes discharged. Some grocery shops located inside Khwairamband Keithels have been disposing wastes and garbage on roads in night as they are not willing to pay tax for garbage disposal, Joykumar disclosed.Many other consumers are also disposing waste materials at road sides in late night. As the particular persons disposing waste materials at night could not be identified, volunteers of the NGO have started watching for such defaulters at night, he disclosed.Informing that the Workers Union has been entrus- ted to cleanse the temporary market shed of Khwairam-band Keithel too, the general secretary claimed that filthiness of the market has reduced by 80 percent. However, consumers are still paying tax to IMC. When volunteers of the Union went for donation once a month, vendors contributed Rs 2/3. Some others lauded the Union for its works and donated Rs 10. But some vendors refused to make any contribution, he said.In case the whole work of picking up garbage from the entire Khwairamband Keithel is handed over to the Union, piles of garbage and waste materials seen at the roadside near Family Welfare office will be removed completely and no garbage will be allowed to pile up on the spot, he assured.He observed that wastes materials seen littering around in Imphal city is due to lack of understanding on the part of citizens. Lack of coordination between police and traffic police is also contributing to the mess, he added.Notwithstanding the fact that the responsibility of cleaning Imphal city and keeping it neat has been entrusted to the Workers Union Manipur, the union often felt let down and helpless as it is not authorised to take up any action when consumers dispose waste materials at improper places, Joykumar said.IMC Chairperson Rani-sana has already instructed the union to levy separate tax for cleansing the interiors of Khwairamband Keithel. However, the same work has not been formally handed over to the Union, he conveyed.Saying that the ongoing efforts to keep Imphal city clean needs cooperation of the IMC, Joykumar said that the union is facing shortage of pick-up vehicles.Conveying that the IMC is planning to purchase some pick up vehicles, he exuded that the IMC will be able to help the union in its work in a big way once the vehicles are procured.

My City, My Life. Lack of toilet facilties trouble women vendors

IMPHAL, Jan 25: ‘‘Those who are not bold enough leave their goods behind and go to the Sulabh at Waheng Leikai while those who are bold enough simply ease themselves in the open along the embankment of Nambul river.”These words of a woman vendor who has been selling fishes for the last 15 years from the market located in front of Uripok Cheirap Court complex here sum up the predicament of the shop-keepers and customers alike in most market places of Imphal if they have to answer the call of nature.Talking of keeping the city neat and clean, providing public convenience facilities at proper places is very much essential. But the ground reality tells a different tale in Khwai-ramband Market, the largest commercial centre of the city and other important markets located around the city.Public convenience facilities in the three women market sheds of the Khwairamband Bazar and the market shed in front of the Cheirap Court complex as well as in the parking lots at Moirang Leirak, Waheng Leikai, Nagamapal, Kang-lapat within the Imphal city itself and in other surrounding markets like Tera Keithel, Singjamei Keithel, Kwakeithel Bazar, Lamlong Bazar, , Lamlong Bazar, Pureiromba Ima Keithel, etc are at the most non-existence or even if there are such facilities, they are more inconvenient for the public to use them due to want of urgent repairing.No doubt, public conve-nience facilities have been installed at some places either by private individuals or bus owners, but the existing ones are inadequately less in keeping up with the growing demand.Moreover, inspite of the obvious biological difference and need between man and woman as well as the associated social mores, there are no separate toilets for man and woman in most cases, thus causing lot of inconveniences to a many a women when they have to use these toilets.Talking to The Sangai Express, 57-year old Jamuna, who has been selling fish from the market in front of Uripok Cheirap Court complex for the last 15 years said there is no toilet facility in the market shed where hundreds of women are coming to sell their goods every day. So those who are not bold enough have to leave their goods in the care of someone and go to the Sulabh at Waheng Leikai and those who are bold enough simply go along the embankment of Nambul river to ease themselves.