Heavy fuel leak from Manipur power station, government orders immediate action

The Manipur government has asked all concerned departments to take immediate action after leakage of heavy fuel from the Leimakhong Power Station was reported.

The fuel has spilt into the streams passing through Imphal Valley. Video footage showed officials moving a stick into the fuel-laden stream following the leakage. In some places, there were small fires in the stream.

“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-Iroisemba-Nambul,” the government said in an order.

“All concerned are requested to take immediate necessary action to prevent an environmental calamity, making use of all available resources in terms of machinery, manpower and expertise,” it said.

The state government said response mechanisms and standard operating procedures for such events should be immediately activated.

“Deputy Commissioner (Imphal West) shall coordinate in the field until further instructions,” the order read.

Manipur Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Leishangthem Susindro Meitei and Forest Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh visited the spot late last night.

The incident comes as Manipur continues to witness sporadic incidents of violence after ethnic clashes broke out between the Meitei and Kuki communities on May 3 last year. More than 180 people have been killed in the violence so far.