The Manipur government has issued an urgent directive to all relevant departments after a leak at the Leimakhong Power Station spilled heavy fuel into streams flowing through the Imphal Valley. Videos circulating online showed officials using sticks to navigate the fuel-slicked water and small fires flickering on the stream's surface.
"The discharge from the Leimakhong Power Station has overflowed into streams passing through Kantosabal, Sekmai, and other areas," the government stated in an official order. "These streams eventually meet the Imphal River downstream."
The order further directed all concerned departments to "immediately take necessary action to prevent an environmental calamity, utilizing all available resources in terms of machinery, manpower, and expertise." It emphasized the immediate activation of response mechanisms and standard operating procedures for such incidents and designated the Deputy Commissioner of Imphal West to coordinate field efforts until further instructions.
Manipur's Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Leishangthem Susindro Meitei and Forest Minister Thongam Biswajit Singh visited the affected site late last night.
This incident adds another layer of concern to Manipur, which has been grappling with sporadic violence since ethnic clashes erupted between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023. The conflict has claimed over 180 lives to date.