Imphal, September 21: With Union Planning Commission, under whose funding the Loktak Development Authority (LDA) has been taking up a project for the conservation of the biggest fresh water lake in the whole North East region, raising various objections, the project is likely to be reviewed all over again.

According to a reliable source, the project on 'Conservation and Management of Loktak Lake and Associated Wetlands, Integrating Manipur River Basin' being implemented by the LDA is to be reviewed as the Commission which is funding the project has pointed out certain lapses in the project report.

The project is to be implemented over a period of 5/6 years at an estimated cost of over Rs 500 crores.

Principal Advisor of the Commission Jayati Chandra convened a meeting to review the project on September 17 at New Delhi and it was attended by Principal Secretary (Planning) of State Government DS Poonia, Principal Chief Conservator of Forest S Singsit and Project Director of LDA Gojen.

During the said meeting, the Commission pointed out and raised objection to the absence of any clear cut measures on the management of water in the lake in the project report prepared by LDA's consultant, Wet-land International, South Asia.

Accordingly, the Commission asked the consultant, Wetland International, South Asia to prepare a fresh project report within one month along with inclusion of the management of the water of Nambul and other rivers and their tributaries, which are primarily responsible for polluting Loktak lake.

The Commission is also of the opinion that there is nothing wrong in hiring interested individuals and private enterprises to begin the commercial venture of manufacturing compost manure from the Phumdis (floating bio-masses) of Loktak lake as well as to improve the environment of the Keibul Lamjao National Park, the source said, adding that the Commission also expressed its dissatisfaction over the monitoring and evaluation of the project.

Silting up of the lake surface with river deposits leading to frequent flooding of the surrounding area, reduction of fish production and the changing condition of the Phumdis of Keibul Lamjao National Park are said to be some of the biggest problems of Loktak lake.

According to report, 54 percent of the lake surface was covered by the Phumdis in 1989 but it increased to 59 percent by 1999 and to 74 percent in 2002 while number of artificially grown bio-masses for the purpose of fishing increased from 217 in 1989 to 5,056 in 2006 .

Under the project, a total of 3630 artificially grown Phumdis have been removed and necessary compensation given to the owners till last year.

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