Fishermen warn of launching agitation
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, July 19 2017: The All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen's Union, Manipur has warned of launching agitation from August 6 if the Govt fails to act upon the memorandum submitted by the union which includes a ten-point welfare scheme for fishermen .

In a press meet held at the Manipur Press Club today, president of the union, Oinam Rajen said that the union had submitted a memorandum on June 27 but the Govt has not acted upon it so far.

If the Govt fails to take up the issue in the monsoon session of the Assembly which begins tomorrow and translate it into action, then the union is prepared to start agitation of different kinds from August 6 .

All the demands raised by the union are already in the Vision document published by the BJP before the elections.

But, after coming to power, the BJP has not acted upon any of the issues mentioned in the document so far.

He asked the BJP Govt to keep its words and promises made before the election, he said .

He also said that the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act 2006 is unconstitutional and should be repealed.

A case was filed regarding the rights of fishermen in a Court in 2011.Despite the Court’s order, the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) is trying to evict the fishermen and the Govt overlooks the matter .

Since the Ithai barrage was constructed, there has been substantial damage to the economy, environment and the eco-system.

Also, the Govt must also look into the sustainability of the lake and those dependent on it.

Since Loktak comes under the Ramsar Convention for Wetlands, a board must be established for its conservation.

An independent body must also be set up to probe those involved in bribery and corruption in the name of development and book them, Rajen said .

He further added that if Loktak Lake is not protected and preserved like the forefarthers did, then its beauty will vanish soon.

The people around Loktak are sustained by its produces .

Arrangements should also be made to organise fair where produces of Loktak will be put on display once a year, Rajen demanded .

Following the Census Data Report, the Ministry of Forest and Environment under the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan had given directives to the State Govt to build sanitary latrines around the shores of Loktak, which the Govt has not followed till now.

There is a huge difference in the varieties of fish caught in 1983 and now.

Most of the fish have gone extinct from the lake and the cause is the construction of Ithai Barrage which blocks the fish from coming upto Loktak .

With the number of fishermen increasing everyday, the catch per capita has been reduced to about 30% as the best areas of fishing have been shut down.

The fish also escaped through the canals of the National Hydro Project Corporation (NHPC) and therefore, it must be closed down, he added.

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