Hundreds of fishing families left homeless
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 18 2011: Hundreds of fishing families of Loktak Lake have been displaced after their houses built on phumdis of Loktak Lake have been set afire by the Loktak Development Authority.

The displaced people have been taking shelter in Ningthoukhong and surrounding villages of Loktak.

While interacting with a team of media persons today, some of the displaced people who have been taking shelter at Ningthoukhong Kha Mamang Leikai mini stadium said that all their properties except for the clothes they were wearing have been destroyed together with their houses.

There were around 1132 houses built on phumdis in Loktak but most of them have been bunt down by the LDA.

One Heisnam (O) Chaoba said that Rs 20,000 saved for admission of her child as well nets and traps for fishing have been burnt together with their house.

Saying that she has never seen the Rs 40,000 promised by the State Government, Chaoba said that she would never accept the amount.

Haobijam Bino Singh who has been taking shelter in Langol Shabi phumdi village said that they have been relying on Loktak lake for their livelihood since many generations back.

He demanded that Loktak as well as the responsibility of saving the lake should be entrusted to the phumdi dwellers and the fishing families.

LDA's notification for eviction might have been published in the media but the Government should understand that no newspapers reach the phumdis in the middle of the lake, Bino said.

One Binoy said that if the Government should evict, the Government should kill them for they have no land for settlement nor any fields to take up agriculture.

Currently the displaced fishing families are being given shelter at Ningthoukhong under the aegis of the All Loktak Lake Area Fishermen Union.

Meanwhile, AMUCO has donated 30 bags of rice and one bag of dal to the displaced people today.

It also condemned in the strongest term eviction of phumdi dwellers by paying a trifling amount of Rs 40,000 .

AMUCO also pledged unstinted support to the cause of the fishermen.

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