Loktak dwellers air plight to CM
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, November 14 2011: A five-member delegation of All Loktak Lake Hut Protection Committee held a discussion with the Chief Minister today to highlight their plight and uncertainties posed to their livelihood in the aftermath of the State Government's plan to evict them from the lake.

A large number of people settled on Loktak Lake's floating biomasses descended at the kanglapat Road today and attempted to proceed to the CM's bungalow to submit a memorandum.

While the group of people were stopped by the police at near the Post Office traffic point, five of the Committee functionaries/members were allowed to meet the CM.

Speaking to newspersons after the meeting, organising Secretary of the Committee N Rameshor said the Chief Minister urged them to accept for the time being Rs 40,000 compensation package offered by the Government to every family settled in the Lake with the assurance that efforts would be made to amend the Loktak Protection Act at the december session of the State Assembly.

Not only had the Committee delegation declined the CM's offer but also urged O Ibobi to declare a definite stand of the Government on the issue, the secretary said.

Reminding that Loktak Lake has been a source of livelihood not only for the people staying at the floating biomasses but several others settled in and around the water body, Rameshor asserted that the meagre amount of Rs 40,000 package announced by the Government to pave the way for the Loktak development Authority to evict the lake settlers for removing the floating biomasses is not acceptable.

Appealing to the Government to review its decision for distribution of the said package on November 15 to begin the Loktak Lake clean-up works from the next day, he affirmed that the lake dwellers numbering about 1000 families would stiffly oppose the move until an alternate source of livelihood is provided to them.

Reiterating that the package amount would not be accepted till there is clarity on the till there is clarity on the issue, Rameshor claimed that the lake dwellers are prepared to take all possible drastic action for defying the Government's move to evict them.

Pointing that out that the Loktak Lake water is hygienic enough for consumption, he also insisted that gradual pollution caused to one of the largest water bodies in the region is due to dumping of wastes by residents of Imphal areas into the rivers that ultimately flow to the Loktak Lake .

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