On the 5th June last, the people of the State had also joined with the rest of the world in the observance of World Environment Day. Different Goverment and non-Goverment agencies observed the day far and wide in the State with Ministers, distinguished personalities gracing these functions and planting saplings to mark the occasion. Essay writing competition, quiz and spot painting competitions were also held on relevant themes. At the end, unison calls for concerted efforts to save the environment from further degradation were made and the function ended with new promises.

It is very interesting and an encouraging trend to see more individuals, NGOs of the State have come forward to bring awareness among the masses; the importance of preservation of the environment. It is a good thing to share the knowledge and importance of the equilibrium of our eco-system through which life continues to exist on this green planet. It is also equally good to know the increasing level of all forms of pollution whether it is air pollution, water pollution or noise pollution and its effects on human environment and health. But the tragedy here is that few people in our State have taken it seriously while the majority goes on as usual without having a thought on it as if they knew nothing at all or had no time to attend to such an important burning problems of the world to day.

In the hills, there exists deforestation in large scale. Jhuming cultivation is still going on and as a result of it our hills and mountains which were once green are becoming bare and pale year after year.

In the valley the situation is the same as that of the hills. For the last twenty years or so, many open spaces and fields, which were meant only for agriculture and piscatorial purposes, had been encroached for housing and other purposes. The pregnant and congested Imphal city is in the process of expanding its belly and the low lying areas in and around the city are being filled in the name of many projects without any concern for the environmental imbalance as a result of this wanton negligence.

One living example of human negligence, which leads a lake into its peril, is the deteriorating condition of our Lamphel pat. Recently when the RIMS was closed for some days in protest against the abduction of a doctor, I had to shuttle daily through the road that leads to the “Shija Hospital and Research Institute” because one of my nearest relatives was hospitalised there.

I had never been along this road before and never traveled till the foothill of the Langol range. As I passed along the road that bisect the lake into two halves I did not fail to notice the greedy hand of man.

The lake is only in name now. The vast bed of the lake is covered totally by tall grasses and willows and space for water that is the characteristic of a lake has been lost from the entire face of the lake. Each and every land near the roads have been demarcated, fenced and reserved for commercial purposes. Garbage collected from the Khwairamband Bazar had been brought here and piled up near the roadside. Dirt and stink, which is the identity of Imphal city, has been spread to Lamphel also and now Lamphelpat is no more a virgin lake. She has been repeatedly raped by modernisation.

The traumas of the lake did not end here. The greenery that once covered the range of the Langol hills has vanished, giving way to construction of buildings and roads. The scenic beauty that was abound once upon a time has given its way to mess with the axe of modernisation.

Since the housing of the Langol Housing Complex, formerly known as 'Games Village' which had been constructed for housing the participants of the National Games, human encroachment has been the prime culprit in the degradation of the Langol hill and Lamphel pat. Over the years, the pressure of encroachment has increased coupled with rampant construction at the foot of the hill and we have loss of vegetation both in the hilltop and the lake.

What shall we do then? All is not lost now, we can make a heaven out of this lake, which has seen the pangs of separation of Mainu Pemcha and Borachaoba, and was spun around the lake are still in our lips. Kombirei still blooms in April months though dwindling in numbers.

Lamphel Lake and Langol range have high potential of converting into a place where the beauty of nature live in communion with the artificial beauty made by human hand. The deeper portion in the middle, which is still flushed with water even in dry seasons, should be dug deeper so that water from its surroundings may be collected there.
If the water thus collected is cleaned and made free from dirt then, it can be used even for human consumption. Ring roads connecting Chingmeirong to Iroishemba zoo via Games village should be made more comfortable for driving. The entire area have a great possibility of becoming a tourist spot, a commercial complex and a health resort.

If the meddling of human to the eco-system of Lamphel is not stopped at once and other corrective measures are not taken up, then we will loss a chance of making a place where man and nature can live in complete harmony, which Dr Kamal had seen in Shillong through the eyes of 'Madhavi'.

Let us save Lamphelpat to save Imphal.