Fuel from power plant spills into Imphal stream

IMPHAL: Heavy fuel from a power plant at Leimakhong in Manipur's Kangpokpi district spilled into a stream in adjoining Imphal West district since Wednesday night following a leakage, affecting the villagers of the area.
The black thick fuel, however, didn't reach major rivers as the Imphal stream was blocked at various points before it got cleansed. Different government departments, including Manipur public health engineering department (PHED), swung into action on Thursday helping block the oil spill.
PHED minister H Dingo Singh, who personally supervised the cleaning process, said measures were taken following strict instructions from CM N Biren Singh.
Soon after the incident occurred, a message was sent by secretary to CM, N Geoffrey to top state civil and police officials stating that "leakage of 'heavy fuel' from Leimakhong Power Station has been reported, leading to spillover of the discharge along streams passing through Kantosabal, Sekmai, etc."
The stream meets the Imphal river downstream by flowing through Khurkhul-Loitang, Kameng and Iroisemba villages before meeting Nambul river, which flows into Loktak, the biggest freshwater lake in the northeast.
"It is quite fortunate that the heavy fuel has not reached Loktak lake. We have asked to collect samples of the heavy fuel as well as the contaminated water of the stream to conduct laboratory tests to determine how the toxic liquids would affect humans, plants and animals, especially fishes," Moirangthem Asnikumar Singh, chairman of Loktak Development Authority, said.