Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, August 06 2010:
With the phumdi of Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only natural home to endangered Sangai species of deer, becoming thinner year after year and grazing ground shrinking, the rare animal species is facing a very uncertain future, observed scientist SA Hussain of the Wild Life Institute of India.
Speaking as chief guest at a one-day Stake Holder Workshop on Sangai organised jointly by the State Forest Department and Wild Life Institute of India, Dehradun at Keibul Lamjao community hall, SA Hussain said that 30 years from now, the fate of Sangai would be quite unpredictable because of the ever thinning phumdi and decreasing fodder.
Highlighting the crucial importance of people's participation in the efforts to save Sangai, Hussain appealed to the local of Keibul Lamjao and surrounding areas to extend all possible cooperation to Government's efforts to preserve Sangai.
Just as the people of Manipur have been preserving and promoting its rich and distinct culture, people need to be proactive in all efforts to save Sangai which is not found anywhere else in the world.
In his presidential speech, Chief Conservator of Forest (Park and Sanctuary) Joykumar said that the workshop was being organised underscoring the importance of local people's participation in preparing Keibul Lamjao management plan for 2010 to 2020 to preserve the park and save Sangai.
He said that the department has been facing serious difficulties in deputing staff for protection of the park as the department has been facing shortage of both officers and staff.
Most of the staff guarding the park are not regular employees.
To make their post regular efforts are being made to upgrade their post to Forest Guard from the current position of Animal Watcher.
A draft has also been prepared to establish Forest Protection Force so that the park can be guarded by armed personnel, Joykumar said.
Ruchi Badola of the Wild Life Institute of India and environmentalist Kh Shamungou also attended the workshop as presidium members.
The workshop culminated with distribution of fingerlings which was aimed at augmenting incomes of the local villagers.