Loktak under serious threat from anthropogenic activities: Asnikumar
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, November 25 2022:
Loktak Development Authority (LDA) chairman M Asnikumar has said that anthropogenic activities such as encroachment, pollution, adverse conditions due to changes in water levels and various developmental activities in and around the lake posed serious threat to Loktak lake, the largest freshwater lake in the North East India.
M Asnikumar stated this during the inaugural session of International Conference on 'Environmental Policy Discourses since the 1960s: Politics, Problems and Narratives of Environment Policies in Europe and Asia' organised jointly by Centre for Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi; Institute for Governance, Policies &Politics, New Delhi; German Research Foundation and Justus Liebig University, Germany at Committee Room, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
Addressing participants, Asnikumar pointed out that there is fear about extinction of Loktak lake in view of encroachment, pollution and development activities around the lake.
Though the lake is associated with Manipur's civilisation, time has come to let others decide on the fate of the iconic lake rather than by local people.
Highlighting that the Government of Manipur is determined to make Loktak lake an iconic wetland in the entire world, Asnikumar stated that under the guidance of chief minister N Biren, LDA is moving ahead with community participation, research, policies and conservation activities to fulfil the mandate of conservation and sustainable management of the lake.
The LDA has constituted an Expert Advisory Committee to address the issues related to the fast-changing ecological status and their impact on the socio-economic condition of the community dependent on them.
The committee is being led by professor Dr Rajiv Sinha of IIT, Kanpur and its report will be submitted soon.
According to Asnikumar, the state government is working on a long-term plan to conserve and preserve the lake and a detailed project report to rejuvenate the lake and improve the livelihood of those dependent on the lake for sustenance has been made and Asian Development Bank will fund the project.
He also said that the state government has already approved the short-term plan of wise use of Loktak Lake and is awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment.
Regarding the prevention of encroachers in the lake, Asnikumar informed that an empowered committee chaired by the chief minister of Manipur and consisting of senior officials and various heads of departments has already been formed to notify and demarcate the lake's boundary.
Stating that LDA is committed to safeguard livelihood of the fishing community, he contended that LDA has suggested to the state government to regulate and come up with a fishing policy to check on the dwindling fish population and overfishing in the lake.
Maintaining that construction of floating homestays would provide ample employment opportunities to our youth, promote eco-tourism in the state and decrease the dependency on the lake for sustenance, he reiterated that the government is setting up guidelines for construction of floating homestays that reflect cultural heritage and are environment-friendly.
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