Onus on state to preserve Loktak, KLNP: Centre
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, March 19 2023: The Union ministry of environment, forest and climate change has directed the state government to take up necessary actions for preserving and promoting Loktak lake and Keibul Lamjao National Park. The ministry intimated the state's forest department to expedite measures for saving Loktak lake and Keibul Lamjao National Park after the Centre took serious note of MP and titular king Leishemba Sanajaoba's concern, who raised the matter in the Rajya Sabha on December 19, 2022 .

Union minister of environment, forest and climate change Bhupender Yadav has also sent a letter to Leishemba Sanajaoba on the matter and informed the Rajya Sabha MP that it is responsibility of the state government to protect protected areas and wetlands of the state.

Through the letter, the union minister informed the MP that it is responsibility of the state to save wildlife and nature and the Centre only provides financial and technical assistance.

The Centre had already intimated the forest department to take up necessary actions and the ministry expects that the department will take up actions at the earliest, the letter mentioned.

Mention may be made here that MP Leishemba Sanajaoba had on December 19, 2022 informed the Parliament about merits and demerits of Loktak hydro-electric project and Ithai barrage.

He said that Manipur, Nagaland and Mizoram are beneficiaries of Loktak hydro-electric project.

However, Manipur gets only 35MW out of 105MW of power generated by the project and the remaining 70MW are sold to neighbouring states.

He also informed the Parliament that Ithai barrage submerged 83,450 hectares of fertile land and Loktak project adversely affected socio-economic and cultural life of people residing around Loktak lake and drew attention of the House to take up necessary actions for preserving and promoting Loktak lake and Keibul Lamjao National Park, the only home of the rare brow antlered deer called Sangai.

It may also be mentioned that Indian Bird Conservation Network (IBCN), Manipur had recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with eight colleges of the state for protection of Loktak lake, the largest freshwater lake in the North East.

The MoU was signed between IBCN state coordinator RK Birjit Singh and principals of eight colleges at Mangolnganbi College, Ningthoukhong in Bishnupur district.

During the MoU signing function, RK Birjit had said that Loktak lake is one of the largest and important wetlands of the world and the MoU was signed to save the lake.

The MoU agreed to have research collaboration and academic activities related to Loktak lake between IBCN and the eight colleges.

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