Fishermen want common shelter at Loktak
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 24, 2012: Demanding that adequate compensation be paid to the family of a windstorm victim and construct a common shelter in the Loktak Lake, All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen Union president H Kula declared that failure to honour the demands would constrain the fishing community to take drastic action.

Speaking to newspersons at Manipur Press Club today, Kula said in the aftermath of the eviction drive launched by the Government against Loktak Lake dwellers in November last not only are the displaced families enduring severe inconveniences but fishermen have been exposed to various risk.

He cited the incident of a fisherman getting killed due to drowning in the Lake as a consequence of inclement weather some days back to substantiate demand for construction of a common shelter.

Conveying that one Lairenlakpam Sobel (42) of Phubala Awang Mamang Leikai left for fishing on January 13 afternoon, Kula maintained that as Sobel did not return home till late evening, two other fishermen from Sobel's locality namely Haobijam Binod (67) and Laishram Tomba (47) went out for searching Sobel.

File picture of a fisherman and his family near their hut in Loktak.

At around 9 pm on the same day, a phone call was received that Sobel has been spotted and all three would be returning home, narrated Kula while adding that further communication could not be established after the first information.

On search by rescue teams, comprising of security force personnel and locals on January 14, Binod's body was found floating on the water while Tomba was fished out of the water on January 15, said Kula.

While the two rescuers got killed Sobel was found miraculously alive on January 15, he informed.

Contending that when the fishing community were settling on floating biomass of the Lake such incidents had been very rare, Kula reiterated the Union's demand that 100-200 common shelter huts be constructed to avoid similar mishaps in the future.

While pointing out that both the victims left behind three children, the Union president also suggested that adequate compensation be provided to the bereaved families.

Kula further noted that under the National Scheme for Welfare of Fishermen families of the victims deserve Rs 1 lakh each as relief amount in addition to deserving financial provision of Rs 50,000 under Disaster Management relief scheme.

He further cautioned that in case the Union's sincere appeal is not honoured by the Government of Manipur the fishing community would resort to drastic action including targeting personnel of Loktak Development Authority.