The fishing community in Kakching district of Manipur has been facing untold woes owing to the continuous spreading of floating biomass at Pumlen Pat, the Pumlel Lake Development Organisation (PLDO) said. Raising concern over the deteriorating condition of the lake, it demanded the authority concerned to clean up the lake urgently.
"The continuous spreading of thick biomass has blocked the paths on the lake. As a result, the fishermen are facing untold grievances in carrying out fishing activities," PLDO secretary Salam Sunil Singh said.
The organisation has been launching various movements since more than two decades for its preservation, and demanding the authorities to clean up the weed that has been continuously spreading in the lake, he said.
He said the state government has not paid any attention in this regard so far, except for some up cleaning activities that were carried out once or twice in a year during 2009-2010. It has been neglecting the lake, citing not having funds for its conservation as a reason, he said. Such irresponsible acts of the state government has put many fishing communities in distress, he added.
“The continuous spreading of thick biomass has blocked the paths on the lake. As a result, the fishermen are facing untold grievances in carrying out fishing activities. Many people, whose major source of income is fishing at the said site, are encountering lots of challenges to meet their ends,” he lamented.
He said that though the state government had always assured of extending support to the poor, they failed to understand the real problems of the people who are depending on the lake as a means of livelihood.
The state government should come and inspect the ground reality of people settling in and around Pumlen Pat instead of focusing on paperwork or delivering lip services, he said. He further warned that they would launch intense forms of agitation if the state government fails to fulfil their demands.
