Imphal, May 23 (IANS) Ahead of the Kharif season, the Manipur government has intensified efforts to provide security and other necessary support to the farming community in both the valley and mountainous regions, officials said on Saturday.

A senior government official said that in view of previous incidents and attacks involving farmers in fringe areas, the government has initiated all necessary measures to ensure that farmers belonging to the Meitei, Kuki-Zo and Naga communities can carry out cultivation without any disturbances. District-level meetings are being organised to chalk out strategies and coordinated plans for the benefit and safety of the farming community.

The official said that to ensure adequate security coverage for Kharif paddy cultivation in the fringe areas of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts, an important meeting was held on Friday at the Mini Secretariat (DC Office) in Bishnupur. Inspector General of Police (IGP-Zone II) Ningshen Worngam chaired the meeting, during which discussions were also held on security arrangements as well as the resettlement of ethnic violence-affected Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs).

Deputy Commissioner of Bishnupur district, Pooja Elangbam and her Churachandpur counterpart, Dharun Kumar S., Commander of the 59 Mountain Brigade Tactical Headquarters, Army, at Loukoipat; Superintendent of Police of Bishnupur district, Ksh. Ravikumar Singh and his Churachandpur counterpart Gaurav Dogra, along with Commanding Officers (COs) of various security forces, attended the meeting.

The district police chiefs of Bishnupur and Churachandpur highlighted the feasible cultivation areas in their respective districts, which may require additional security arrangements during the Kharif season.

Regarding the ethnic violence-affected IDPs, the Deputy Commissioner of Bishnupur district informed the meeting that special emphasis is being given to the rehabilitation and resettlement of the displaced families.

After interacting with the officials, IGP Worngam said that close coordination among officials of Bishnupur and Churachandpur districts is essential to effectively handle security-related issues, considering the prevailing law and order situation in the two districts.

The Kharif season, India’s monsoon cropping period, extends from June to October. Crops are sown with the onset of the southwest monsoon during June and July and harvested towards the end of the monsoon season in September and October. These crops require abundant rainfall and warm, humid climatic conditions for optimal growth.

–IANS

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