Loktak Inland Waterways Project worries fishers
Source: Chronicle News Service
Imphal, January 13 2024:
All Loktak Lake Areas Fishers' Union, Manipur (ALLAFUM) has raised concerns over the state government's unilateral decision to proceed with the Loktak Inland Waterways Project without consulting the fishing community residing in and around the peripheral of Loktak Lake.
The fishers' union has emphasised that the proposed project poses serious threat to the delicate ecology of the lake and the livelihoods of hundreds of families who rely on traditional fishing.
ALLAFUM secretary, Oinam Rajen, in a statement, expressed disappointment that the government failed to include the fishers as primary stakeholders in the state-level discussions concerning the project.
Despite the transport department organising interaction sessions on the inland waterways project on January 12 and 13, department officials overlooked inviting Loktak fishers while extending invitations to unrelated entities such as All Manipur Entrepreneurs' Association (AMEA).
The move has sparked outrage among the fishing community, questioning why the government has not considered the perspectives of those directly impacted by the project.
The union highlighted that the project's potential negative impacts on the lake ecosystem and fishers' livelihoods had previously led to stiff opposition from the Loktak fishers.
An official communique from ST Rithung Anal, joint secretary (transport), issued on January 9, announced an interaction session on Inland Waterways and the development potential in the State.
Notably, the notification did not explicitly made reference to the state s earlier proposal on the Loktak Inland Waterways Improvement Project, which faced opposition from Loktak fishers.
The interaction session, organised by the transport department in collaboration with Loktak Development Authority (LDA) and involving representatives of AMEA, neglected to include Loktak hshers' representatives in the discussion.
This move has intensified concerns among the hshing community, especially considering the High Court's previous instructions.
In February 2022, a division bench of High Court of Manipur, comprising Chief Justice Sanjay Kumar and Justice A Bimol, instructed relevant authorities to refrain from initiating any development work in and around Loktak Lake without the court's permission.
The directive followed the Supreme Court instructions on maintaining the status of Ramsar sites, including Loktak Lake, as wetlands of international importance.
It is worth noting that the High Court of Manipur initiated a Public Interest Litigation (PIL No 24 of 2017) in 2017, seeking the state government's response on the management and conservation measures for Loktak Lake.
The PIL aimed to ensure that developmental projects do not compromise the overall status of the lake ecology, considering its Ramsar site designation.
Loktak Lake has been embroiled in controversy due to the disruption of its hydrological regime caused by the Ithai Barrage of the Loktak Hydroelectric Power Project since its commissioning in June 1983.The barrage has faced criticism for contributing to ecological and environmental challenges within the Manipur River Basin, adversely affecting biodiversity and impacting fishers' livelihoods.
ALLAFUM vehemently opposes the government's initiative to advance the inland waterways project without consulting the Loktak Lake-dependent fishing community and without a thorough consideration of potential negative ecological impacts, the press statement added.