The ongoing situation in Manipur, marked by sporadic violence since May 3, is receiving the full attention of the central government, led by Union Home Minister Amit Shah. As a proactive step towards resolving the crisis, Shah has convened an all-party meeting on June 24 in New Delhi.
The announcement came following a meeting between Shah and Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, also the convenor of the NDA’s Northeast chapter NEDA (North-East Democratic Alliance).
The violence in Manipur, leading to the tragic loss of nearly 120 lives and over 3,000 injuries, was triggered by the ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ in early May. The march was organised to protest the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status, which has sparked violent previously unscathed.
In the districts of Ghograpar, Tihu, Barbhag, and Dhamdhama, the floodwaters have engulfed around 90 villages. Residents have had to abandon their homes, making do with makeshift shelters on higher ground. Manoj Rajbongshi, a resident of Moiraranga, relayed his family’s situation, now forced to live on an embankment with their house flooded and property damaged. Another villager, Jyotish Rajbongshi, expressed despair at the loss of all his household belongings due to the flood.
Over 310 hectares of farmland have been submerged in the district, while infrastructure has suffered, including the damage of two embankments, 15 roads, bridges, culverts, and agri bundh. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reports that numerous rivers in the area are overflowing due to torrential rains in Assam, neighbouring states, and Bhutan. Around 44707 people have been affected in Nalbari district, with over 1.07 lakh domestic animals and poultry also affected. Rescue teams from NDRF, SDRF, and Fire and Emergency Services have evacuated 1280 people from the hardest-hit areas.
Assam is located in the northeastern region of India and is surrounded by the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura, and Meghalaya. The region also borders Bhutan and Bangladesh. The Brahmaputra, one of Asia’s largest rivers, flows through Assam, along with several of its tributaries
