IN THE EARLY hours (12:30 am and 6 am) of June 30, 2022, a landslide occurred; the slopes above the Tupul railway construction camp gave way. At least 79 people were affected, fortunately, with 18 rescued. A torrent of mud, rock, and debris swept through the site, trapping workers and soldiers as they slept. Sadly, in moments, 61 lives were lost (K Das: August 26, 2022). The landslide debris blocked the flow of the Ijei River through Tamenglong and Noney districts, creating a hazardous dam-like buildup of water (UkhrulTimes: June 30, 2022).
The Noney landslide was not merely a natural disaster – it was a reckoning, a violent reminder that the hills of Manipur will tolerate human presence only on their own terms. At the time, our former Chief Minister, N. Biren Singh, referred to the Tupul landslide as “the worst incident” in the state’s history (Business Standard: July 2, 2022)
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As someone deeply committed to both our community and the environment, I would like to share my thoughts on sustainable land-use practices that can protect our hills and prevent future disasters. With a background in Environmental Management and experience at the United Kingdom’s Environment Agency, I am passionate about safeguarding our community and creating a lasting legacy for generations to come. After all, every little helps – each small step we take toward protecting our hills can make a meaningful difference for the future.
Unstable Ground: The Convergence of Natural and Human Factors
According to experts’ opinions reported by The Sangai Express, the Noney disaster resulted from a perfect convergence of natural volatility and human activities (E-Pao: July 30, 2022). The Noney landslide resulted from both natural and human factors. Intense rainfall, seismic activity, weak soil composition, and natural erosion made the area unstable.
The National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA: 2020, page 2) lists Northeast India among the most landslide-prone regions in the world. The natural state, which is beyond our control, is characterized by the region’s young fold mountains, intense monsoon rainfall, and recurring earthquakes, making its slopes unstable. The area falls within Seismic Zone V, India’s most active earthquake zone. Frequent tremors there weaken slopes already strained by rainfall and erosion (Bansal et al., 2022).
As a horticulturist, I would like to emphasise on deforestation and shifting cultivation, which remove vegetation and accelerate soil erosion across the surrounding hillsides. Decades of land-use change have quietly dismantled the natural systems that once held the slopes together, including deforestation and shortened jhum cycles. We need to call a spade a spade as we work to prevent such tragedies in Manipur’s History, and there is always something to learn from the past for a better future.
The Salt Wound
Nothing illustrates the self-destructive cycle more starkly than the widespread use of common salt in illicit poppy fields. Because of extreme poverty and lack of alternatives, many farmers in Manipur’s hills rely on opium cultivation for a steady income. To manage weeds, leading to increase opium yield, they mix large amounts of salt in water and spray it between poppy plants. (E-pao: March 27, 2021). The practice offers short-term convenience but inflicts long-term devastation.
According to some sources, farmers use salt to control weeds and improve opium quality, believing salt increases the plant’s strength. However, soil application affects soil health. Monsoon rains then wash away salt and topsoil, causing severe land degradation.Using salt leads to severe soil degradation. Stavi et al. (2021) pointed out that salt reduces water infiltration and disrupts soil structure. It is in a chain – as infiltration weakens, runoff increases, and soil microbes die. During heavy rain, water cannot penetrate the damaged soil and flows down slopes, eroding topsoil and rock (FAO, 2021).
Learning from Loss: A Path Forward
The question is no longer whether we can prevent all landslides in Northeast India – we cannot. The question is whether we can mitigate the human factors that turn natural hazards into human tragedies. The solution demands consistent, coordinated action from communities, governments, and individuals, each taking responsibility to change how the problem is addressed, as we all need to play our part.
Banning Destructive Practices: For instance,ban the use of salt in farming, except for controlled research purposes. Enforce the rule with awareness campaigns and farmer support. Provide alternatives such as mulching, composting, biofertilizers, and cover crops to protect soil health. We need to tackle the economic pressure behind poppy cultivation. Enforcement alone shifts the problem elsewhere. A sustainable development plan with real, lasting income options is needed.
Building Community Capacity: Capacity building is a significant investment, as it is the most precious resource for effective execution. Local communities play a crucial role, as they are not just victims of landslides; they are the first and most essential line of defence. Villagers know their land intimately. They can notice the crack that widens overnight, the spring that suddenly runs dry, the trees that begin to lean. This knowledge must be systematically harnessed.
Community participation is essential, as they need to take ownership of this initiative. Participatory mapping should identify danger zones in every vulnerable village. Community involvement is critical. Train local volunteers to monitor slopes, maintain drainage systems, and report any warning signs. Broader community engagement should strengthen this program.
Provisions like early warning systems, utilizing satellites, rainfall data, and local observations, can save lives through timely evacuations. Technology works only when communities are trained to act on the data. In fact, having a drill for this sort of preparedness will be helpful. Investing in local preparedness means investing in survival.
Supporting Farmers with Knowledge and Resources: Knowledge exchange is key, and the farming community needs to be well-informed to make the right decision (s). On the ground, agricultural extension services are working to empower farmers and promote sustainable hillside farming practices that protect both the land and livelihoods. Farmers are cooperating with the service providers in leaning innovative methods of composting, mulching, contour ploughing, and integrated pest management. Demonstration plots showcasing successful alternatives to salt and burning can be more persuasive than any regulation.
Access to quality seeds, organic fertilizers, and small-scale irrigation must be improved. Microfinance tailored to agricultural cycles can help farmers make the transition to less destructive practices without falling into debt. Market linkages ensure that sustainable farming is also profitable farming.
Reflection – A Moral Imperative!
What happened at Noney was a tragedy, but tragedies can teach us if we are willing to learn from them. The science is precise, and the solutions are known. What remains is the will to act – and to keep acting, season after season, year after year.
The Noney tragedy reminds us that nature’s forces are relentless, but human choices matter. True renewal depends on a shared commitment and purposeful action from all; restoration will be completed.Let us act today – safeguarding soil, reviving forests, and supporting sustainable livelihoods – so that our communities survive, thrive, and pass on a landscape of life, not loss. The future of Manipur’s hills depends on what we choose to do, right now. What can we, together as a community, do to heal and protect our hills for future generations?
“The desert and the parched land will be glad; the wilderness will rejoice and blossom…”– Isaiah 35:1 NIV
(The views expressed are personal, and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Ukhrul Times. The Ukhrul Times values and encourages diverse perspectives. The author, Chongboi Haokip, MCIHort, is an international development consultant specialising in agriculture, horticulture, and trade facilitation. She can be reached at chongboi4community@gmail.com.)