From Our Kokrajhar Bureau
Kokrajhar ( Assam) : With the 21 day – complete lockdown imposed in the country the Villagers from Haloadal in Kokrajhar district while strictly adhering to the restrictions imposed by the government are spending hungry sleepless nights as there is no supply of basic food – items in the markets . On Sunday the villagers were forced to go to the jungles and collect wild herbs in order to survive .
While the village leaders of Haloadal village society under Kokrajhar police station were seen using loud speakers to spread the message of preventive measures amongst the villagers of greater Haloadal area the youths from the viilage were seen collecting ‘Manimoni’ leaves during the lockdown periods from open agricultural field at Hatimata area.
‘Manimoni’, is an ancient medicinal herb and preparations from the herb are considered to be a delicacy since forefathers among the tribal indigenous people.
Though majority of the villagers already have stock of rice but with no vegetables available in the village markets have been forced to collect the wild herbs.
‘ We have come out to collect medicinal Manimoni plant leaves in the open agricultural fields and would prepare curry out of it as there is no supply of vegetables in the village market . This is the last resort left to us to survive’ , said a villager.
“We have collected local Manimoni plant leaves and will prepare curry in our locality and have it for our dinner .We use the Manimoni plant leave as it has rich medicinal values and has been consumed by our forefathers “, said a woman in Kokrajhar.
The lockdown is getting full response in Kokrajhar,the heart BTAD administration.
Meanwhile , Rajya Sabha MP and senior BPF leader Biswajit Daimary has demanded exemption of officials of BTC including DC, SP, departmental officers of all the districts under Bodoland Territorial Council(BTC) area so that they could concentrate fully during this hour of crisis as election model code of conduct is still applicable in wake of the postponed BTC general elections.
Daimary submitted a memorandum Assam State Election Commission seeking exemption of officials of BTC including DC, SP, Departmental Officers of all the districts under BTC area to fully concentrate on relief measures due COVID outbreak. He urged upon the commission to take immediate action on it.
Even Ministers, MLAs, Political leaders are not allowed to announce any financial assistance/ payments out of discretionary funds as the election code of conduct is still in force , the memorandum stated.
In BTC area over 15,000 migrant workers have returned since March 2020 and there is every possibility of transmission of the virus from them . And , if it occurs it will be meaningless to whatever the Assam government has done so far to tackle the virus, he added .
