Ex-Ministers for phumdi dwellers
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, November 16 2011:
National Association of Fishermen (NAF) has south the intervention of Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh to stop burning of fishermen's huts in Loktak Lake on humanitarian ground.
In a memorandum submitted to the Prime Minister, former Minister and National Vice President of NAF H Kangjamba Singh pointed out that there are 1,100 fishing huts constructed on the floating Phumdis of Loktak lake since ancient time for catching fishes for their livelihood.
There are about 5,000 family members living in these floating fishing huts and they have no Patta lands for proper housing construction.
However, the government of Manipur has started eviction of the fishermen living on these floating huts from November 15 by burning them down with the help of police forces.
In all, 20 fishing huts have already been burnt so far and the remaining 1,080 floating huts are to meet similar fate in accordance with a government notification, the memorandum mentioned, adding that the affected family members including women and children are staying near the lake side in the open in pitiable condition.
Conveying that fishermen of Loktak lake have requested to stop burning of the remaining huts until a new programme for resettlement of landless fishermen on humanitarian ground is in place, Kangjamba drew the attention of the Prime Minister for giving necessary advice to the state government to stop burning the remaining floating huts and for allotment of land for settlement of the affected fishermen near the lake so as to enable them to catch fishes.
In another statement, former Minister Kh Jibon has observed that burning down the floating huts of the fishermen is not the right thing and the government should not deprive the rights to life of the fishermen.
The action of the government in burning down the floating huts is similar to burning down goods laden trucks by blockade supporters and it is an indication of lawlessness, Jibon asserted.
Just as floating hotels add to the beauty of the lakes in Kashmir, floating huts on the phumdis adds to the charm of Loktak.
It is these floating huts of the fishermen which attract tourists coming to see Loktak lake, the former Minister noted.