Loktak is our inherited property: Fishermen
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 13 2013:
On the second day of its week-long observance of International River Day being organised by the Committee of International River Day Celebration Week-2013 (comprising CPNRM, MDAVO, CCDD, ALLFU, JACAP HYCAR, NWU, CRA and JAC CMP) along with All Loktak Lake Areas Fishermen's Union (ALLAFU) and Committee on Natural Resources Protection in Manipur (CNRPM), a 'community meeting on protection of Loktak Lake and to stop eviction of fishermen was held at Thanga island in Bishnupur district on Wednesday.
Recollecting the alleged 'tyranny' of Loktak Development Authority (LDA) and Manipur Police, fishermen of Loktak Lake, whose houses and fishing equipments have been dismantled and torched, asserted that the State Government and its agencies are exploiting and violating their rights in the name of the development by evicting them and burning down their floating huts and fishing equipments without giving any prior information.
"We are the owners of Loktak and the lake from which hundreds of fishermen are earning their breads, is an inherited property from our forefathers.
We don't know what LDA is and no one could snatch Loktak and forced us to leave our only source of livelihood.
We would fight for livelihood and have decided to die together with anyone who comes to oust us from here," aggrieved fishermen said.
According to the villagers, there were earlier 1110 floating huts of the fishermen on Loktak Lake.
However, around 829 floating huts have been burned down by LDA in 5 (five) instances since 2011 to February 2013 .
Objecting to the eviction process, ALLAFU had filed contempt cases in Gauhati High Court.
Accordingly, the court issued an interim order on January 25, 2012 prohibiting LDA from dismantling the floating huts or evicting any of the fishermen from the lake.
However, in defiance of the said court order, LDA and Manipur Police have destroyed and torched more floating huts, Oinam Rajen Singh, Secretary of ALLAFU, lamented.
Listening to the complaints of the aggrieved fishermen, Secretary of Citizen Concern for Dam and Development Joseph Hmar observed that, "NHPC conducted its business secretly and its one of the most stubborn companies in the entire world.
They only made known the required amount of power to produce but never reveals where the power goes" .
Due to construction of dams, thousands of people have been displaced and forced to leave in search of shelter and job, he added.
Addressing the fishermen, Co-Convenor of CNRPM Jiten Yumnam asserted that the problems of the people settling in and around Loktak lake have stemmed mainly from Ithai barrage and Loktak Protection Act.
Director of South Asian International River's Network Samir Mehta assured that the issues related to force eviction of fishermen would be brought to the notice of the International community.
Samir Mehta exhorted the fishermen not to lose heart in their fight for their rights, dignity, livelihood and protection of Loktak Lake.
Secretary of Life Watch Rajesh; Speaker of All Tribal Students' Union Majaibung and President of Naga Women Development Association Aram Pamei were also among others who attended and spoke during the meeting.
After the meeting, local people joined hands with the fishermen in taking out a rally to demand revocation of Loktak Protection Act and removal of Ithai barrage.
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