All Loktak Lake Area Fishers Union Manipur (ALLAFUM) and Champu Khangpok Floating Village Welfare Committee on Friday demanded the Manipur government to scrap the Manipur Loktak Protection Act, 2006 and replace it with an updated act which prioritizes the conservation of Loktak lake.
Speaking to media at the office of Indigenous Perspectives in Imphal, ALLAFUM secretary Oinam Rajen, denounced the Manipur Loktak Protection Act (LPA) 2006 and stated the act has only allotted destructive powers to authorities with no mention of preserving the diverse ecosystem of Loktak lake.
He further said the regulations included in Loktak Protection Act, 2006 was ‘anti-social’ in nature and that the fishing community of Loktak had been against the atrocious act since its inception. “LPA has become a protective shield for Loktak Development Authority officials to carry out unwarranted destruction to the diverse ecosystem of Loktak lake,” Rajen said.
Pointing out that Loktak Lake had been listed as a Ramsar Wetland site since 1990, Rajen maintained that not a single of Ramsar guidelines have been implemented since the lake’s inclusion in the list. “Not only Ramsar guidelines, authorities have failed to properly implement even the Wetland (Conservation and Management) Rules 2017 for protection,” he added.
Rajen exuded confidence that proper implementation of both Ramsar guidelines and Wetland rules will suffice in protection and conservation of Loktak lake.
Recounting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 97th Mann ki Baat where he noted Loktak Lake as a unique cultural heritage of Manipur, Rajen lamented the State BJP government’s failure to declare Champu Khangpok floating village as heritage site which was included in the party’s 2022 election manifesto.
Speaking on the issues of Champu Khangpok village, Rajen expressed discontentment over authority’s failure to mete out legal action against the perpetrators involved in siphoning off Rs 20 lakhs fund of Pradhan Mantri Adarsh Gram Yojana (PMAGY). “Although the fund was small, it was meant for development of Champu Khangpok village,” he stated.
He highlighted that a complaint along with supporting documents was filed to the Anti-corruption cell on August 3, 2022 but maintained that the authorities had not produced any leads on the matter till date.
Pointing out that Champu Khangpok village had been listed as a census village since 1991, Rajen stated that the villagers of Champu Khangpok are yet to receive any government provisions.
He also urged the Manipur government to measure out the exact boundary of Loktak Lake and prepare a brief document about the unique ecosystem of the lake. “People who live off Loktak are the only guardians of the lake at the moment,” he added.
As such the ALLAFUM secretary urged authorities concerned to muster a collective political will and map out a well-thought-out restoration act to save Loktak from further degradation. He pointed out that the union and Champu Khangpok Floating Village Welfare Committee will approach the Prime Minister’s office and the union ministry to resolve the mammoth issues of Loktak lake.
