Ministry elaborates central, state plan to save Loktak
Source: Chronicle News Service

Imphal, April 28 2023: Union minister of forest, environment & climate change Bhupender Yadav has said that Manipur government has been advised to submit an action plan to mitigate issues raised by some environmentalists of Manipur regarding the Loktak lake.

The state government has also been advised to set a timeline for removal of Loktak lake from the Montreux Record, Bhupender Yadav said in response to posers raised by environmentalists of Manipur regarding the lake.

The ministry also advised Loktak Development Authority (LDA) to update the Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) of Loktak lake on priority basis, Bhupender said in a written reply to the first out of 10 questions put forth on issues concerning Loktak lake.

Three major issues on Loktak lake ecosystem and measures for delisting from the Montreux Record was the first question raised to which the minister said that Loktak Lake is an integral part of the culture and ecology of Manipur.

In line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to protect and preserve scarce natural resources at all costs, the government remains committed to developing Loktak lake as one of the most enchanting and magnificent lakes of the world with community engagement and collective efforts.

Loktak lake was included in the Montreux Record in 1993 as a result of ecological problems such as deforestation in catchment area, siltation, infestation of water hyacinth and paragrass and pollution.

The three major issues resulting in listing in the Montreux Records are changes in water regimes which triggered Phumdi proliferation, water quality deterioration, loss of migratory fish and degradation of KLNP habitat.

The second issue is pollution from upstream areas which led to water quality degradation and accelerated Phumdi proliferation and the third is conversion of natural Phumdi into fish farms which reduced the capacity of Loktak to moderate and buffer water regimes.

What are the measures taken up to control eutrophication and control of discharge of waste water from urban into the Loktak lake was the second question raised by the environmentalists with the minister pointing out that the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change (MoEF & CC) has been providing financial assistance for the wetland since 1988 -89 to the Government of Manipur for undertaking conservation activities like survey & demarcation, catchment area treatment, fisheries development, removal of Phumdis, constructing water harvesting structures, small scale engineering works, creation of education and awareness, etc.

He also said that LDA and forest department are the implementing agencies.

So far, an amount of Rs 16.86 crore has been released by the ministry to Manipur government which includes Rs 428 lakh during the year 2018-19.Further, the Integrated Management Plan (IMP) prepared by LDA has been examined by IIT Roorkee and certain suggestions given.

The ministry has also asked the LDA to submit a revised plan addressing all issues related to conservation of Loktak lake for endorsement of the ministry for its implementation.

Any measure for uplift of livelihood or alternative livelihoods of the wetland people was the third question raised by the environmentalists and Bhupender Yadav replied that LDA has been taking up certain livelihood development activities for local communities who are dependent on the lake.

The integrated management plan prepared by the LDA envisages activities on 'Sustainable Resource Development and Livelihoods' that includes Community Managed Fisheries Strategy for Loktak aligned with FAO code of conduct of Responsible Fisheries, enhancement of fish seed production, development of harvest, post-harvest and marketing infrastructure, community livelihoods (micro enterprises) programme, development of Wetland linked cultural heritage sites to promote tourism for diversification and value addition of existing fisheries based livelihoods and eco guide training for local communities.

On the fourth question 'whether there were any judicious water allocation policy for biodiversity service, for fishers, for agriculture, for hydropower, etc., at Loktak, the minister said that the ministry has already taken up the issue of Ithai Barrage operation with the Ministry of Power and NHPC.

After due deliberation, NHPC agreed to lower the water level of Ithai barrage gradually to the drawdown level in the forthcoming winter season starting from November 2023 to rejuvenate Keibul Lamjao National Park (KLNP) habitat as per the technical report of 2011.With lowering of water level in winter, the park habitat will improve along with improved circulation and flushing in the wetland, he said.

On the fifth question pertaining to protecting lake from inflow of waste brought down by river/streams, the minister replied that commissioning of Sewage Treatment Plants (STPs) and implementation of activities as envisaged in the Integrated Management Plan will substantially reduce loading of pollutants into the lake.

The state government has also commissioned the construction of STPs at Nambul with the financial assistance of Rs 100 crore provided under the NRCP scheme by NRCD for the effective functioning of existing waste management infrastructure.

It will be commissioned by June, 2023 to capture and treat waste from Imphal city and Nambul river and take care of the discharge of untreated sewage into Loktak.

On the sixth question about long term plan to protect the lake from encroachment (eviction of private farms along Mayang Imphal-Toubul road & lake), Bhupender Yadav said the ministry has suggested to the government of Manipur to immediately submit an action plan along with a timeline and a map with clear demarcation of the wetland boundary following guidelines provided by MoEF & CC and as per provisions laid by the Ramsar Secretariat for removal of Loktak lake from Montreux Record.

The Ramsar Information Sheet (RIS) of Loktak is to be updated on priority basis by the LDA, he added.

To the seventh question as to when the government is preparing brief document (which is mandatory under Wetlands rules 2017) for Loktak, the minister replied that Loktak lake was designated as Ramsar site on March 23, 1990 under Ramsar Convention and being a Ramsar site, the Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules, 2017 are applicable to the lake.

What is the responsibility of NHPC towards rehabilitation and resettlement of displaced communities affected by the Loktak hydroelectric power project since 1983 was the eighth question of the environmentalists which the minister explained that as Loktak Hydroelectric Project was implement -ed before the EIA notification 1994 and 2006 environment clearance was not applicable for the project.

Pointing out that works on the project commenced in 1971 and commissioned in 1983, he referred to the NHPC record that for development of the Loktak project 217.09 hectares of private land were acquired from landowners of 11 villages at different sites of the project.

Full compensation was paid to land owners before land possession and hence rehabilitation and resettlement was not applicable at that time, the minister added.

On the ninth question regarding steps taken by the government of India for ecosystem restoration of Loktak lake considering its Ramsar site status, the minister said that MoEF & CC has been providing financial assistance for the wetland since 1988-89 to the government of Manipur for undertaking conservation activities.

LDA and state's forest department is the implementing agency.

However, an Integrated Management Plan (IMP) of Loktak Lake was received in the ministry for endorsement.

The plan envisages putting in place Manipur River Basin scale actions such as conserving catchment to control silt, abating pollution generated from upstream cities, demarcating wetland boundaries, managing water regimes and supporting livelihoods diversification of wetland dependent communities.

IMP includes core and non-core activities in the lake area and its zone of influence (catchment, command areas, etc.).

The IMP was appraised through IIT-Roorkee and observations given by IIT-R had been sent to the Government of Manipur for revision of the IMP.

The revised proposal is yet to be received by the ministry.

The MoEF&CC will consider the proposal on priority as per the cost sharing formula between the Central and state govern ment and the funding norms of NPCA, he added.

On the last question related to Central government's plan to accommodate the fishing community in lake management plan, Bhupender Yadav said that the government of Manipur has informed that community Managed Fisheries Strategy for Loktak aligned with FAO code of conduct of Responsible Fisheries will be formulated involving local fishing communities.

Fishing in Loktak Lake has been carried out since time immemorial.

The fishermen are an integral part of the Loktak ecosystem.

The state government is working to promote healthy capture fisheries, which ensures that ecosystem processes such as migration pathways, water quality and Phumdi distribution are not adversely affected, he added.

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