Imphal: The Manipur government has restricted the use of water from the Iril River after detecting the presence of emerging contaminants, according to a statement released on Wednesday by Public Health and Engineering Department (PHED) Minister Leishangthem Susindro Meitei.
The Dolaithabi Barrage, built over the Iril River in the Imphal East district, has also been closed to stop the flow of water potentially contaminated with unknown peptides and disinfection by-products.
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The action comes after a report of a spill of oil-like materials on the river on Wednesday afternoon.
An expert team has collected water samples for laboratory testing, and the government’s restriction will be relaxed only after the water is confirmed safe for human use.
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The minister further assured that the floating materials are under examination and are not similar to the heavy fuel leakage incident that occurred on January 10, 2024, in the Imphal West district.
That incident caused panic among residents as the spilt fuel discharge flowed through various localities.