Is Sangai fest doing justice to the endangered deer?
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, November 17 2013: Even though the annual tourism festival of the State Government has been named after the State Animal "Sangai", the organizers of Sangai Festival have not made any sincere effort to promote the endangered deer to the visitors, especially from foreign countries.

The Sangai Festival is scheduled to be held from November 21 to November 30 under the auspices of State Tourism Department.

As per the highlights of the festival, there is no such activity where the tourists can visit the natural habitat of Sangai at Keibul Lamjao National Park which is the only floating national park in the world.

According to a census done this year, the population of Sangai at Keibul Lamjao was found to be 204.This rare animal has been enlisted as "endangered" owning to various factors affecting their natural habitat.

The Sangai Festival should be aimed to promote campaigns and inform people to save this endangered animal.

Moreover, the significance of Sangai as the State Animal should also be made known to the visitors.

Reacting to such ambiguous naming, some people said that the festival should have never been named after Sangai if it fails to promote and understand the significance of this animal.

Talking to Hueiyen Lanpao, eminent environmentalist Dr Kh Shamungou said that international funding would be required to save and promote Sangai at their natural habitat.

The foreign tourists should be made aware of endangered Sangai through this festival.

Mere naming of the festival after this rare species of deer should be avoided by the Government.

Currently, there is one Sangai deer at Iroishemba Zoological Garden, 13 at Langol Sangai Second Home and more than 50 at Delhi National Zoo and other zoological gardens across the country.

Sangai is also said to have been associated with the mythology of the State.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Okram Ibobi has stated that Rs.2.27 crores would be spent by the State Government for the upcoming Sangai Festival.

Ibobi stated this while addressing the gathering of the inaugural function of Maharaja Chandrakriti Auditorium at Art and Culture Complex, Konung Mamang here today.

He further said that about 190 delegates from Myanmar, China and Thailand would be attending the Sangai Festival scheduled to begin from November 21 .

A ministerial team led by Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh also inspected development works of the upcoming Sangai Festival today evening.

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