LDA meet stresses on preserving Loktak lake
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, May 18 2022:
Loktak Development Authority (LDA) chairman M Asnikumar on Tuesday held a meeting with high ranking officials of NHPC Ltd to discuss the present ecological condition of Loktak lake and state government's mission to preserve the treasured lake from further degradation.
The meeting resolved to regulate the lake's water level by opening Ithai barrage during peak monsoon to flush out excess biomass, grass, weeds and pollutants from the lake through Khordak and Ungamel channels under the joint initiative of NHPC, LDA and local people.
Regulation of the water level is expected to make a real difference in restoration of the lake's natural cycle and to avoid the flow of small fingerlings through the main channel of Ningthoukhong so as to prevent unnecessary loss of fish during electric ity production.
This will be done after devising a feasible mechanism to ensure both issues are solved with minimal loss.
The meeting also discussed about construction of Bailey bridge over Khordak river by NHPC at the earliest and decommissioning of the existing mini dam over Khordak river.
It was also decided to help improve sanitation of the fishing community who are settled in the lake by NHPC and to make joint visit by LDA and NHPC officials to the Loktak Lake area and Ithai barrage so as to assess the ground situation at the earliest.
During the meeting, NHPC assured its support and cooperation to the state government's Loktak conservation mission.
On Wednesday, as follow up action of the meeting, the LDA chairman conducted site inspection with high ranking NHPC officials at Loktak project canal and Ithai barrage.
During the inspection, an extra sluice gate of Ithai barrage was opened in addition to the earlier three gates opened by the NHPC to flush out of weeds, grass, excess biomass and pollutants from the Loktak Lake.
Asnikumar also said that in coordination with all the stakeholders concerned, more follow up actions will be initiated in the coming days and weeks.
Restoring the natural cycle of Loktak Lake to preserve and main tain it for the present as well as future generations is one of the primary components of state government's envi ronmental agenda under the leadership of chief minister, he adcled.