Imphal, April 19: The Bishnupur district administration today distributed relief materials to various camps set up to help villagers displaced by the army’s counter-insurgency operations at Loktak lake.

Operation Summer Storm jointly launched by the army, Assam Rifles and police at the Keibul Lamjao National Park to flush out militants has displaced more than 2,500 people from the nearby villages.

Three relief camps have been set up at Ithai Khunou, Nongmaikhong and Laphupat Tera on the fringes of the lake in Bishnupur district.

The district administration today distributed 65 quintals of rice, one bag of dal, 200 litres of kerosene, two tins of mustard oil, two bags of salt and 90 mosquito nets to the camps.

The relief materials were distributed after the displaced villagers yesterday resolved to boycott the Inner Manipur Lok Sabha elections slated for April 22 if the operation was not called off before that date.

Bishnupur deputy commissioner Kh. Pamei instructed the district medical and water supply offices to provide medial facilities and safe drinking water to the camp inmates. Local MLA T. Mangibabu Singh also provided materials for construction of toilets in the camps today.

The villagers deserted their homes after firing began and troops moved into their homes to spend the night and for logistic purposes.

A media team that visited Nongmaikhong, Khordak and nearby villages on the eastern side of the sanctuary, today saw most of the houses locked.

“They stay in our homes, use them as weapon deposits and tell us not to come out of our houses. After the soldiers came here, we fled,” said Salam Bina Devi.

Bina, 35, is now lodged with her husband and three children at Nongmaikhiong relief camp. “We fish for a living and have big ponds. The fish need feeding four to five times every day. We are in this camp for the past eight days. We are worried that the fish may have died,” she said.

Farmers fear that they might miss this year’s harvest.

“This is the season for planting paddy. We have not been able to do so because of the army operation. The soldiers asked us to stop our activities in the field. We want the troops withdrawn immediately so that we could resume farming,” Heisnam Thoithoi Singh, a farmer, said.

Salam Ibempishak Devi, 45, who went back to her house at Nongmaikhong today, found one of the doors broken.

“I found army personnel around my house, and my back door was broken. On entering, I saw several weapons stashed inside. They have turned my house into a makeshift armoury,” she said after returning to the Ithai camp.