New Tusom is a village in the Chingai Tehsil of Manipur’s Ukhrul District. It is 190 kilometres from Imphal and 86 kilometres from Ukhrul. New Tusom is close to the villages of Chingai (23 km), Wahong (18 km), Kongai (9 km), Challow (16 km), Razai Khullen (22 km), and Razai Khunou (32 km). Meluri Tehsil, Nagaland’s Phek District to the north, and Myanmar to the east, surround New Tusom Village. With a total population of 1801 and number of houses are 34, they speak Tangkhul language.
The residents of New Tusom Village and neighbouring villages in Manipur’s Ukhrul District rely heavily on water buffalo as a source of income. In nature, water buffaloes are typically semi-wild. Buffaloes are employed for natural farming operations such as ploughing fields and milk production. The highest number of buffaloes in Manipur is found in the village of New Tusom and its neighbouring villages. There are about 1,800 buffaloes in New Tusom Village and as many as buffaloes in its surrounding villages. The buffaloes are mostly reared by the poor farmers and their production potentiality is low. Every year, the village suffers from an outbreak of mysterious sickness that kills about 90-120 water buffaloes. As a result, the inhabitants in the affected regions are in a state of terror and helplessness.
Also read: KSO and ANSAM condemns May 9 bulldozing of residents at Tribal Colony
The Buffalo (Eeroi/Seilui) Mela cum-Awareness Programme will be held in New Tusom Village on May 20, 2022. Village Development Council, New Tusom, and Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS), Manipur will host the event, which is sponsored by the Government of Manipur’s Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Services. The major objective of the mela is to raise public awareness about the need of preserving traditional water buffaloes and traditional agricultural practises in Manipur, in order to achieve the Government of India’s goal of doubling farmers’ income. Also, invite everyone who is interested to attend the mela.
The Apunba Imagi Machasing (AIMS), Imphal, Manipur