Thousands of villagers in the Imphal West and Bishnupur districts are facing flood fury as a result of torrential rains in the last few weeks and breach of river banks in some areas.
Hundreds of houses have been partially submerged in the floodwaters.
Paddy fields and fishery ponds are under water. The fallout is short supply of fish in the market and low paddy production.
Makeshift sheds
The villagers are staying in school buildings and makeshift sheds constructed at elevated places. They told journalists that some MLAs had given 5 kg of rice each and some pulses to the affected families.
No relief
So far no government official has visited them. Besides no relief material has been distributed. The most affected areas are Uripok, Patsoi, Wangoi, Nambol and Mayang Imphal.
The villagers are wading through neck-deep water to procure consumer items from the local markets.
Some enterprising ones have made makeshift rafts using banana trees and bamboos to move around.
The quarters of doctors and nurses of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences in Imphal have been inundated.
Zoo animals at risk
The Zoological Garden of Manipur, which is located near Uripok, is also under threat. Animal lovers say that if there are more rains, most of the animals will drown.
People in inundated localities and villages say that since there is no drainage system, the water cannot be drained away.
Some villagers had paid from their pockets to hire water pumps to remove the stagnant water. But there is no improvement in the situation since there has been no rain all these days.
Children have not been able to attend schools.
There is no drinking water and lack of sanitation has caused concern among the health workers.
Epidemic threat
There is a threat of an epidemic of water-borne diseases. Marooned villagers said no health department official has visited them. They said that in the absence of drinking water, they are forced to drink the muddy and polluted floodwater.
Vehicles off highway
No vehicle from Manipur plied on Highway 39 that passes through Nagaland on Saturday, notwithstanding the fact that the Naga bodies had “temporarily suspended” the 68-day-old blockade on Friday evening.
In a high-level meeting chaired by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh, it was decided that the Central Reserve Police Force personnel sent by the Centre shall be only deployed on Highway 53, since Manipur drivers are boycotting Highway 39.
The Transporters and Drivers Council, the apex body of drivers' organisations in Manipur and several organisations have reaffirmed the stand to boycott Highway 39.
The Naga Students Federation suspended the blockade it had imposed against Manipur from May 3 on June 15, as Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram took a serious view of it.
