'Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 should be repealed'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 12 2014:
All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen's Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) has submitted a memorandum to the Prime Minister, the Union Home Minister, the Union Law Minister, the Union Minister of Agriculture and the Union Minister of state for Environment urging them to repeal the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006 .
Speaking to media persons at Manipur Press Club, Imphal today, O.Rajen, secretary, ALLAFUM said the various demands put up by the union includes repeal of the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006, decommissioning the Ithai Dam (Barrage), building spinway for aquatic animals, to provide for Loktak Lake upstream treatment, provide special mechanism to prevent fish entry into NHPC main canal and restore the Loktak Lake biodiversity.
Rajen further said that the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) had issued a public notification for eviction of the phumhuts in the Loktak Lake under section 19 and 20 of the Manipur Loktak Lake (Protection) Act, 2006.However, there is no section in the entire Act that empowers the LDA for such eviction.
He further said that the National Human Rights Commission of India in its mission to Manipur had given direction to the project director of LDA to submit status report containing all details within six weeks.
However, there is no compliance from the state government and the project director of LDA, Rajen maintained.
He went on to say that instead of restoring the natural cleaning process of weeds from the lake, the state government continues to blame the fishing community for the weeds proliferation.