In a recent meeting with Awangbow Newmai, Manipur Forest, Environment and Climate Change Minister, Bhupender Yadav, Union Minister of Environment, Forest and c Change said that the iconic Loktak Lake In Manipur will be under preservation and further initiatives to be taken in order to protect the same.
Manipur’s Loktak Lake to be granted Rs 97 crore:
The Climate Change Minister has promised to provide Rs 97 crore to undertake the protection of the lake through various measures.
Minister Newmai told the media that the review meeting in presence of the central minister was held with an objective to save the Loktak Lake. He said the Union Minister gave assurance to give his full support to all the plans to preserve and protect the lake, which has floating land masses and ‘phumdis’ (series of floating lakes) available which cannot be found in other places in the world.
Loktak Development Authority Chairman L.S. Meitei said that the Union Minister is concerned with the conservation efforts of the Loktak Lake. “A detailed conservation plan was put up in the Sunday’s review meeting. The plan also included to provide sustainable livelihood for fishermen in the periphery area,” Meitei said.
The Union Environment Ministers meeting was the second within a week on the development and protection of Loktak Lake. Yadav earlier said that the Loktak is not only a lake but also an important historic landmark of India’s independence struggle. It is a sacred place from where Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose showed the dream of an independent India to the people of the country.
Earlier, CM Singh said that the government is unable to timely and wisely utilise the gift given by nature in the various forms of flora and fauna which is abundantly found in the state.
In the meeting a number of NGOs including GoodWill Mission Manipur, Joint Coordination Committee on Wildlife and Biodiversity, Environmental Social Reformation and Sangai Protection Forum, the Yaralpat Integrated Farming Cooperative Society, Loktak Lake Tourism Development Cooperative Society Ltd Sendra and Loktak View Point Development Organisation were present.
The meeting was also attended by the senior officials of the Forest Department including Principal Chief Conservator of Forests and Head of Forest Force Dr Aditya Kumar Joshi.
About Loktak Lake:
Nestled at Moirang in Manipur state of India, the Loktak Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake and ancient super volcanic caldera in India.
It is famous for the phumdis which are heterogeneous masses of vegetation, soil and organic matter at various stages of decomposition floating over it. The largest of all the phumdis covers an area of 40 square km and is situated on the southeastern shore of the lake. Located on this phumdi, Keibul Lamjao National Park is the only floating national park in the world. The park is the last natural refuge of the endangered Sangai, Rucervus eldii eldii or Manipur brow-antlered deer, one of three subspecies of Eld’s deer.
The Loktak Day is observed every year on the 15th of October at the periphery of the Loktak lake.
Role of Loktak Lake:
This ancient lake plays an important role in the economy of Manipur. It serves as a source of water for hydropower generation, irrigation and drinking water supply. The lake is also a source of livelihood for the rural fishermen who live in the surrounding areas and on phumdis, also known as “phumshongs”. Human activity has led to severe pressure on the lake ecosystem. 55 rural and urban hamlets around the lake have a population of about 100,000 people.
It was listed under the Montreux Record on 16 June 1993, “a record of Ramsar sites where changes in ecological character have occurred, are occurring or are likely to occur”.
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