Loktak, Imphal selected among tentative World Heritage sites
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, November 03 2012:
Among the probable World Heritage Sites located in North East India, Loktak Lake including Keibul Lamjao National Park and Imphal city have been included in the tentative list.
The two sites were picked up after revising a tentative list of World Heritage sites in a meeting of the advisory committee of World Heritage Matters held at Dispur, Assam.
Even though no official of the Government of Manipur was present at the meeting, convenor of INTACH Manipur Chapter Dr RK Ranjan was present.
Talking with The Sangai Express, Dr RK Ranjan said that he proposed eight places of Manipur for inclusion among World Heritage Sites.
The places proposed by Dr RK Ranjan were Loktak Lake, Keibul Lamjao National Park, Siroy-Kashong hills, Chakpi river (fish sanctuary), Zolakhan-Pumji (reptile park), Changamdabi hills (marine fossil park), Mount Iso-Dzuko valley and Tangjeng biodiversity reserve.
After studying Dr Ranjan's proposals, the meeting agreed to include Loktak Lake including Keibul Lamjao National Park and Imphal city in the tentative list.
Imphal was included in the tentative list on its merit of, being a military training point during Second World War, being a crucial link between India and Burma, Kangla being capital of an ancient kingdom for hundreds of years and having the world's oldest polo ground.
The delegates from Assam also supported the proposal to include Changamdabi hills (marine fossil park) as a World Heritage Site.