Consultation workshop discusses to implement Loktak Water Allocation Policy
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, January 17, 2012: A Consultation Workshop of Stakeholders on the allocation of the water of Loktak Lake was held today at the Hotel Nirmala.

Those who attended the workshop discussed to implement the Loktak Water Allocation Policy to conserve the natural and ecological character of the Loktak Lake while exploiting its water for irrigation, hydro energy and domestic purpose.

The Loktak Water Allocation Policy is being taken up by the Loktak Development Authority in association with the Wetlands International South Asia (WISA), New Delhi to conserve the ecological balance of the Loktak Lake and surrounding small lakes.

WISA prepared the draft policy after consulting various experts agencies including Centre for Hydrology and Ecology, London.

The workshop was organised to share and discuss the documents and provisions of the draft policy with the stakeholders.

Director of College Development Council, Manipur University Dr RK Ranjan and Director LDA Th Ibobi graced the workshop as Chief Guest and President respectively.

Director of WISA Ritish Kumar and President of All Thanga People's Welfare Organisation H Kulla also attended as Guests of Honour.

Speaking on the occasion, Project Director LDA Th Ibobi said that the Loktak Lake is freshwater largest lake in the NE region providing food and water supply to people around the lake and at the same time providing the lone habitat to world famous deer Sangai.

The lake has been providing waters for power generation and irrigations, fish products, vegetables products, maintaining and controlling flood situation besides maintaining a good eco system for the state and it is deeply connected with the culture and social life of the state.

Expressing the need to observe the hydrological regime of the lake and the ecological service while developing development projects in the lake, he said that the Water Resource Development was carried out without observing the eco system process and many factors which hold the key to conserve the lake.

Since the projects were carried out without taking into account the major factors, it has led to the degradation of the lake which might eventually lead to the extinction of the lake.

Giving an example, he said that the Ithai barrage which was constructed only for hydro power generation has now become a major threat to the sustainability of the lake since large amounts of weeds (Phumdi) could not flow down from the lake into the river.

It has also endangered the survival of Sangai, decreased the number of fish which come from outside the state and caused frequent flood in domestic and agricultural areas.

The Loktak Lake has been included in the list of Ramsar site of endangered wetlands due to the technological, developmental exploitation and pollution of the water of the lake which endangered the very survival of the largest fresh water lake of North East India.

The large scale degradation of ecosystem in and around the lake today has had direct impact on the food resources, water resources and power generation which is decreasing day by day, he said.

He further said that all possible and necessary actions to conserve the habitat of Keibul Lamjao National Park, Fish migration, Water Quality and Wetland ecosystem should be taken up when taking up developmental projects to serve power generation, irrigation and domestic usage of the water of the Loktak Lake.

The new water allocation policy is aimed in creating a barrage operation policy to conserve the ecological balance of the lake while exploiting the water of the lake for human developmental and domestic purpose.

The project is part of the Short Term Action Plan for Conservation and Management of Loktak Lake, he added.

The team behind the project had already assessed the detailed provisions of the usage of the water of the lake based on the present dataset and hydrological modelling tools.

A workshop to point out the objectives of water management was also held on March 23, 2010 which was participated by officials of IFCD, PHED, Forest, Wildlife, Rural Development, Planning, Fisheries, LDA, NHPC etc.

The workshop discussed allocation of water of the lake to conserve the natural habitat and wetland of the Keibul Lamjao National Park and at the same time to develop the hydropower generation as well.

Director of CDC, Manipur University, Dr RK Ranjan said that the proposed Loktak Water Allocation Policy is a welcoming step and urged the LDA and WISA to give extra weightage in conserving the natural habitat and ecological balance of the Loktak Lake as well as provide benefits to the people around it.

He also expressed his wish to translate the project details into Manipuri for easier understanding by the people.

Since many surface roads have been created at Uchiwa, Arong Nongmaikhong, Thanga, Keibul Lamjao, Mayang Imphal, Toubul and other places, the ecological character of the lake have been lost since long and also affect the water holding capacity of the lake.

The Loktak Project had also jeopardized many agricultural areas.

He also stressed the need to insert special policy to bring back the ever decreasing the migratory birds which used to frequent the lake in the past.

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