Improper deposits of cleared Phumdi creating havoc to Loktak itself
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, May 10 2014 :
Amidst the much hyped huge expenses and alleged irregularities in Loktak Phumdi clearance works taken up by the firm K-Pro, the fishermen residing around the Loktak area have complained that huge deposits of the excavated Phumdi on the embankments has led to congestion and havoc in the natural beauty of the lake.
According to a number of fishermen who have already been affected by the development activities taken up at the lake, the clearance works have not been done properly and the randomly deposited Phumdi have caused havoc on the embankments.
The huge and random deposits of Phumdi which have not been cleared by the implementing agency are in contravention to the Loktak Protection Act.
With the Manipur State Assembly passing the Manipur Loktak Lake Protection Act 2006, the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) has been implementing the same for protection of the natural environment of the lake.
As expressed by people settled around the lake, a number of fishermen were already forced to abandon their fish-huts located at the lake in the course of clearance works.
However, the manner in which the Phumdi are being deposited at the banks for a long time is in total contrast to the defined objectives of saving the lake.
Such a mismanagement of the cleared Phumdi has nothing to do with the protection of Loktak lake, considered to be the mirror of the state.
Many people have suggested that the Phumdis lying uncared for beside the lake may be utilized for production of organic manures that could be distributed to the needy farmers to boost crop yields.
Maintaining that any work related to the protection of the Loktak lake requires sincere people, the inhabitants around the biggest fresh water lake of the north eastern India have appealed to the authority to clear the deposited Phumdis at the earliest.