KLNP turned into grazing ground
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, April 02 2015 :
Although floating Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) is the only natural home of the endangered Sangai, many people have made the park a convenient grazing ground for their cattle.
Many people are also fishing and gathering vegetables within the park.
On learning about different unlawful activities carried out within KLNP, volunteers of People for Animal, Manipur and Unique Wildlife Protection Committee conducted a survey at Khordak side of the park today.
According to PFA managing trustee N Bishwajit, a large number of cattle were found grazing inside the park without any restriction.
Sending cattle to the park for grazing has the potential to communicate different types of diseases from domestic cows and buffaloes to Sangai.
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Once the Sangais are infected by any deadly disease, all the efforts to preserve the rare animal would be reduced to nought.
As such, the park authority should pay due attention to the matter, Bishwajit said.
Moreover, a number of people who came on motor vehicles were found fishing inside the park.
This is a disturbing intrusion to the well being of Sangais and other wild animals found in the park, he said.
Even though it is restricted to pluck any plants or leaves found inside the part, many people were found plucking/gathering komprek, loklei and pulei.
The volunteers impounded all the vegetables gathered from the park.
Whereas KLNP is 40 Sq Kms in area, casual forest guards who are guarding the park are given just Rs 3600 as monthly salary.
This is simply unjustifiable, he added.