State losing 1 sq/km forest cover every week
Source: The Sangai Express / S Singlianmang Guite

Lamka, May 22 2014 : The State's forest land has suffered a massive scale of destruction in recent years mainly due to irrational human activities and contradicting policy between the Government and the stake-holders, claimed top officials of the State today even as the State joined others in the observance of International Day of Biological Diversity at Synod Hall here.

Principal Chief Conservator of Forest, AK Rana said satellite images indicated that the State has lost about 190 sq kms of forest land in the past 2 to 3 years.

His claim if analysed stands at 18 hectares per day or a little over 1 sq km per week.

It is on this basis that the Department has taken the observance ceremony inside the hill district as it has fathomed the futility of confining at the State capital, he told the gathering that included a vast array of people, from the most crucial stake holders � village chiefs, to environmental activists, students and officials.

The scale of forest destruction in Churachandpur, according to Rana, being one of the highest has apparently been given the privilege of hosting the event organised by Manipur Diversity Board for the first time outside Imphal.

International Day of Biological Diversity at Synod Hall

Dr M Rohini Kumar Singh, Director (Research), CAU who graced the ceremony as the guest of honour opined that contradicting policy between the Government and the stake holders � village chiefs in the case of the district, as the one reason that draws major setback in preserving the State's rich bio-diversity.

Stressing the need to preserve the State's bio-diversity, he said of the 35 richest areas in the world Manipur is one of them and it could be used productively without touching the sensitivity of nature.

The agricultural scientist also claimed that a surge in 1 degree of the temperature will lead to loss of 10 percent in its rice production.

"Plants and animals will survive if humans are not there, but human will not survive if plant and animals are not with us," he reminded.

Esther Gangte, a lecturer at Ccpur Govt College made a power point presentation intended mainly for the chiefs.

She said people across the world have now realised the importance of bio-diversity, hence this observation.

"If we continue to exploit our natural resources at this pace and with similar practice, we will turn our land into a desert," she said recollecting how the temperature has changed even in her generation and drawing the attention by citing State losing 1 sq/km forest cover every week some plants and animal species which she said have extinct or were in the brink of extinction.

Man, she quoted a writer, is part of nature and his war against nature is inevitably a war against himself.

Parliamentary Secretary (Hort & SC and CADA), Vungzagin Valte made a distinctive yet remarkable and a very political observation on the issue while addressing the programme as the chief guest.

Vunzagin said he has seen many forest related campaigns and leaflets that articulated the need for preserving the forest or the wild life there but never on the need to protect the humans living within it.

He advocated judicious use of forest land or its resources for attaining the dual purpose of preservation � humans as well as the environment.

Instead of leaving the jhum fields barren and rest its fate on nature, encouraging and sponsoring of planting fruit bearing trees after each jhum cycle will turn the land of jhum dependent people into very productive farms within just one cycle, he said.

He added, this will not only uplift the forest dependent people's lives economically, emotionally, morally and release them from the bondage of dependence but will also protect the forest as well.

It's high time for the local residents and the Government to come up on how to make a judicious use of land, he said.

Winners of the state level competitions organized by the department for students at the State and District levels in the run up to the bio-diversity day celebration were awarded prizes as well.

Vunglunmang Vualnam, Jt Secretary, Union Home Ministry, Dr Khaizalian, MS, MBB and other State and District officials of the Forest Department also attended the event.

International Bio-Diversity Day observance was also organised at Ukhrul Talkies Wino Bazar by UDBRD/DIMC ECO-Club, Ukhrul in collaboration with 41 Assam Rifle, our Ukhrul correspondent reports.

Worshang Hungyo, SDO, Ukhrul graced the programme as the chief guest.

Speaking at the occasion, he dwelt on the role and responsibility of younger generations, student community in environment protection.

Col Sunil Kumar attended the programme as the guest of honour and shared about how the students can take part in various activities of environment protection.

MK Tuisem, Asst Engineer, MPCB spoke as the resource person.

More than 200 participants including students, army officers, social workers and intellectuals attended the programme.

at Maharaja Chandrakirti Auditorium, Palace Compound, the International Day for Biological Diversity 2014 was observed under the aegis of the Directorate of Environment.

The function held on the theme 'Island Biodiversity' was attended by Chief Secretary PC Lawmkunga, Environment Director Dr M Homeshwar and Prof W Vishwanath of Manipur University as chief guest, president and guest of honour respectively.

Giving keynote address, Directorate of Environment Joint Director Dr Y Nabachandra said that the International Day for Biological Diversity was being observed to enable all the people understand the utilities and importance of biodiversity to mankind.

This year's theme 'Island Biodiversity' is in sync with the UN General Assembly's declaration of 2014 as the 'Year of Small Island Developing State' .

Islands are home to 600 million people apart from providing a variety of raw materials.

Every island is a vast pool of genetic information.

Out of 724 different species recorded extinct till date, half of them were island species.

Saying that Manipur is very rich in biological resources, Dr Nabachandra called upon all the people to join hands and take up necessary measures collectively in order avoid disappearance of life from Earth.

PC Lawmkunga said that people have been shouting and campaigning to save environment, ecology and biodiversity but the desired result could not be achieved so far.

Deforestation is the principal factor for the adverse climate change, perforation in ozone layer and water scarcity.

Mankind is responsible for all these unwanted phenomena.

If the reduction in the thickness of ozone layer continues for some more decades, mankind would not be able to survive on Earth.

Such adverse condition was created by mankind.

Though small in terms of geographical area, 75 per cent of Manipur's territory is covered by forest and the State has been recognised as biodiversity hotspot, the Chief Secretary stated.

Mankind would face graver existential difficulties if people do not work to conserve the ever depleting biodiversity of the planet.

It is crucial to insert biodiversity and its conservation measures in school curriculum.

Some other major factors for destruction and disappearance of biodiversity are invasive alien species, tourism development, natural disaster, over-exploitation and unsustainable use, pollution and waste disposal, Lawmkunga stated.

Prof W Vishwanath highlighted the need to inform and educate common mass on what is biodiversity and why it should be protected.

To protect and enhance richness of biodiversity, all starting from school children to Government employees and civil organisations need to work together.

Later, gifts were presented to Surchandra for successful breeding of indigenous fish species, Potsangbam Devkanta for preserving local paddy species and T Nandababu for successful organic farming.

This was followed by distribution of sanction letters for National Environment Awareness Campaign (NEAC) 2013-14 to 328 selected NGOs and institutions.

It is said that selected NGOs which were not present at the function may obtain their sanction letters from the Directorate of Environment.