Our agenda of the World Environment Day
Keigi Mapan Napina Tangee Napigi Mapan Keina Tangee

Mustaque Ahmed *

Deforestation in Manipur (In May 2010)

We have been talking about the global warming, water scarcity, deforestation, threatening/endangered/rare plants and animals for long time. We all know we have to stop/check deforestation and Jhum cultivation. We need protection of plants and animals through most expectedly by in situ conservation, ex situ conservation methods, etc.

Artificial and natural conservation centres such as botanical gardens, zoological gardens, arboreta, biosphere reserves, sanctuaries, etc. are too good for their roles in respect of up-keeping aesthetic values, recreation, tourism, sports, experiments, research, training centres for conservation of plants and animals, etc.

Why we need to celebrate the world Environment Day every year? We human beings are so smart, brainy, and brilliant to have used any means for urbanization. Hence, there is much industrialization, making of roads, etc. To make these successful the felling of valuable plants was very much required.

What is our agenda/concern on celebrating "the World Environment Day"? To me it's regarding water scarcity, deforestation and killing of animals. Water scarcity in Manipur is much related to deforestation. If there is much forest, we expect perennial source of water from our mountains, hills.

Our rivers should have been filled in water. Early in our childhood around 30 years back there was no dearth of water in our rivers. We used to swim in the river water very often. For agriculture we almost depend on the rain water, it reaches to our rivers. For drinking we mostly depend on the pond water, river water and springs.

Dams in Manipur are also contributing a lot for supply of drinking water to the peoples in Manipur. Our hills and mountains with its forests are supposed to give continuous water supply to the rivers. If forests are gone, the water will be absent in our rivers. Deforestation due to Jhum cultivation and the making of charcoal results the slope area of the hills be opened to weather conditions.

That is how the rain water cannot be stopped by the roots and woods in the forest for at least for some time. When heavy rain comes down much of the soil is brought down to our river beds. This is causing concern for the loss of soil. The water running down the hills with much force and current often resulted in the breaking down of our river banks. It causes in the flooding of the valley area.

My mind is still lingering with the occurrence of flood havoc in the year 2002. It made us every one in the village driven out of the houses only to be staying in the temporary houses for around 45 days at riverbank. We lived with poor sanitation and poor water supply condition. The houses were submerged upto roof top.

Post-flood scenario was horrible. The houses stood without mud walls. Epidemic of water borne diseases were spreading then. The total property loss incurred was in terms of multi-crores of rupees. Houses in the Lilong village still bear the signature of the flood since many villagers are living inside the dismantled walls of the houses.

Surely there is disorder of the water cycle this time. Everyone is saying it's very hot in Manipur this time. This is due to the ever prevailing cloud cannot be converted to raining. Moisture content is very high. Suspended water particles in the air is much heated up that we feel the hotness of this phenomenon. Yet, the rain is not coming down to our expectation.

To make the reversal of the environmental deteriorating condition here, we need to spread more and more awareness of the importance/needful of re-plantation/plantation of plants. We can achieve this through the activities and action taken up by the members of the district councils, panchayat members and councilors of the municipal area. We need to grow more and more trees in the villages, mountains and hills. Although Jhum cultivation is required in the hills, its cycle should be shortened. Fallows should be abandoned after one or two cultivation.

If there is forest there will be animals. Let the animals be in the forest since their species and numbers have not been properly recorded. We have heard the species, genomes of the plants and animals are the reason of our research. They are source of our medicines. It is truth about the forest plants and animals. Both are so beneficial to us that they cannot be separated from us.

Sporadic killing of animals may one day deplete the genes we want for our purpose of research. Environmental activists need to be encouraged through the rewards and cash incentives from the government side. The government can be proposed to open a special department for pursuing research of our forest, wild plants/animals in all the Colleges of hill districts of Manipur. It needs to possess proper instrumentation facility.

We have to ensure that the forest is there and the tigers/wild animals are in it. It should not be the situation like the first one is gone and the later following the suit. However, these days much of the wild animals are not in the forest. We are not dreadful to go cutting down the trees. Let's go by reason, not by our aims of earning from our forests.

Also, let's try to recall our meaningful Manipuri proverb, "Keigi Mapan Napina Tangee Napigi Mapan Keina Tangee". If there is sincere implementation of our thoughts and sayings in our case of the environmental degradation, only then the trend of deforestation, killing of animals and scarcity of water can be successfully checked.