PREPAK calls for protection of environment
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, June 04 2015 :
On the occasion of the World Environment Day (June 5), the proscribed PREPAK has called upon all the people of the land to work towards realising the very objectives of observing the day.
In a statement issued by it's assistant secretary, publicity and propaganda Leibakngakpa Luwang, PREPAK stated that this year's theme is "One World, One Environment".
It is in commemoration of the Stockholm Conference of 1972 that June 5 is being observed as World Environment Day every year.
Significantly, it was at the end of the Stockholm Conference that the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) was launched.
It is a matter of serious concern that Kangleipak has been witnessing rapid loss of forest areas and this is being abetted by many overt as well as covert policies of the Government of India, it alleged.
Security forces have been destroying forest areas in the name of counter insurgency operations.
Security forces are also instrumental in disturbing the ecology of Loktak Lake and Keibul Lamjao by deploying heavy weapons and setting afire different portion of Keibul Lamjao which has been already identified as a biodiversity hotspot.
There were around 500 wetlands/lakes in Kangleipak (Manipur) but the figure dwindled to just around 50 during British colonial rule.
Now there are just around five lakes after Manipur was forcibly merged into the Indian Union.
Although, the Government claims that Kangleipak still has 22 Protected Forests, these forest areas exist only for the name sake, he said and added that the State has lost all the Primary Forest areas as well.
Absence of Primary Forests testifies that Kangleipak has reached the alarming level of environment degradation, Leibakrtgakpa pointed out.
It lamented that indigenous people cannot implement any meaningful programme or policy to protect the ecology and environment as the State is under the yoke of the alleged imperialist India.
In order to preserve and protect rivers, their places of origin and courses, there should be biosphere reserve, manipulated zone, buffer zone and core zone but nothing has been done so far in this regard.
Key environmental elements which were safe- guarded by the past generations have been degrading at an alarming pace.
Asserting that Kangleipak would one day regain its sovereignty, the outfit called upon all the people to put in sustained and concerted efforts so that the future generations can inherit a healthy environment.
Important agenda of every World Environment Day are reduction of carbon emission, effective control of pollution, preservation of bio-diversity and eco-systems, economic alleviation of the poor etc.
Expressing serious concern over environment degradation and ever increasing global warming, the outfit has pledged support to global campaigns being initiated at different parts of the world as part of observing the World Environment Day.