Locals hails CM Biren for removing 'phumdis'
Source: Chronicle News Service / DIPR
Imphal, November 29 2023:
The floating biomass locally known as Phumdis have created havoc and health hazards to the local people of Thanga Tongbram, Khoirom and other villages in the periphery of Takmu Lake, which forms a constituent eco-system of the Loktak Lake, the largest fresh water lake in entire North-East India.
The villagers have been depending on the lake for domestic consumption and livelihood since time immemorial.
In recent times, proliferation of phumdis and wild plants and weeds has polluted the lake causing water-borne diseases afflicting the local populace.
The locals particularly womenfolk apprised the alarming situation to chief minister N Biren recently, who swiftly convened an emergency meeting of the fisheries minister, chairman of Loktak Development Authority (LDA), administrative secretaries, fisheries director and LDA project director, wherein, he instructed officials concerned to immediately start the cleaning work in order to redress grievances of the affected people.
Acting on the instruction of the CM, cleaning of phumdis started from Tuesday in convergence mode.
LDA facilitated machineries and state fisheries department provided necessary funds.
The local people have appreciated the swift response from the government in cleaning the phumdis from the lake after a gap of 15 years as the last phumdi cleaning activity took place in 2007-08 .
Removal of phumdis will not only clean up the water but also help in restoring the lake's ecological balance which is essential for sustainable fisheries and economic livelihood of local people.