Nature's priceless gift
Dr Ranbir Laishram *
A precious gift of the Mother Nature
Existing since inception of 'Jeweled Land'
Survived over myriad generations
Braving all weather conditions
And providing shelter from amoeba to humans
Sanctuary of the migrant birds
A heritage of renown reputation
Imbibed closely with folklore, mythology
And intertwined with socio cultural fabric of Manipur
The largest freshwater lake in South Asia
The pride of Ima Manipur "the Loktak Lake"
Also known as the 'floating lake'
For it's masses of vegetation(Phumdis)
Dwells proudly within it -
The world's only floating National Park,
The 'Keibul Lamjao National Park'
The last natural habitat of "Sangai"
The dancing deer of Manipur.
Everyone praises its unique beauty,
A treasure and lifeline for the natives
Goldmine of the avaricious leaders
Pumping huge amount of money over decades
In the rejuvenation of this wetland
What people see is a little noticeable change !
A mother's role with its rich biodiversity
Whatever it gives and sacrifices
All for the benefit of humanity
Are we doing justice to this wetland ?
Years rolled by,
Many wetlands are being land filled
And are replaced by concrete jungles
Polluting the unique natural ecosystem
The water contaminated with poisons
The wetland mother's teary eyes
Everyone of us is aware of...
In an effort to save its lost ecosystem
Crores of rupees are being disbursed
How sincere we are in our endeavour !
Will we be able to conserve and restore its past glory ?
* Poem written by Dr Ranbir Laishram for The Sangai Express
This poem was webcasted on 15 January 2024.
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